Why Work And Gaming Are The Perfect Combination

I’m a true believer in games as one of the best conduits for bringing people together. They offer common ground, friendly competition, collaboration through challenges, and a deep feeling of immersion in a true social experience with other people.

Video games in particular have provided a mechanism for people to be more virtually connected during a time when physical connection has been difficult. It’s no wonder 2.7B people on the planet played games regularly in 2020 and the majority said they increased play during the pandemic as a way to relieve feelings of stress and isolation.

The power of games to connect us is not uniquely limited to challenging times. However, games have historically focused exclusively on the consumer market. It’s a traditional employer’s nightmare to imagine their employees playing games throughout the work day. But we’ve noticed a shift…the most forward thinking leaders have already identified the benefits of integrating games into their regular routine:

Remote employees are craving the exact value that games provide: meaningful social connection, greater transparency and trust, a sense of belonging, and a bit of fun (and shared experience) mixed in to break up those transactional Zoom meetings.

Modern employers have top talent around the globe that they are desperate to retain. Creating connections across teams isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity to drive innovation and ensure the $$$ they have invested in recruiting and training top talent don’t walk out the virtual door.

Despite this demand, the needs of an employer are wholly unmet by the millions of consumer games that exist:

• Accessibility – The game needs to be fun for a diverse group of people to play together. From the 22-year-old male engineer who grew up in the Bronx, to the 55 year old accountant, mother of three who lives in India.
• Low barrier to entry – Low to no learning curve, no special hardware required, integrated into your existing work tools like Slack and Chrome.
• Multiplayer for all group sizes – Experiences optimized for a group of 2 or an entire company of 200.
• Safe for Work (SFW) – A closed, controlled and safe environment for your team regardless of needs or sensitivities.
• Inherently social – Experiences that are collaborative from start to finish. After all, the whole point is to form deeper connections.

Even the best games in the world don’t check these critical boxes, which leaves a massive opportunity. Luna Park is working on building a game engine designed for rapidly churning out games that meet the unique and growing demands of modern corporate teams. A new suite of tools is required for remote, hybrid and distributed teams, and we plan to play a key role in filling this need.

Although it still may sound strange to imagine every modern company in the world playing social games together on Luna Park, we remember the times when it was weird for a company to have a ping pong table, or purchase unlimited snacks and lunch that foster in-person social connection.

As things begin to slowly open back up for the world, we’re seeing our friends and family more and more. But for the corporate world, the shift towards hiring remotely isn’t temporary, creating a permanent physical separation amongst teams. The strong need for new ways to engage employees and make them feel connected while physically distant from their colleagues is an absolutely massive opportunity.

If you’re interested in the future of work and the role gaming will play in it, consider joining our team or booking an event for your own.