The Rise of Adult Play: Why Board Games, Escape Rooms and Immersive Events Are the New Networking Hubs
Once upon a time, professional networking meant lukewarm wine, awkward name badges, and conversations that felt more like polite job interviews than genuine connection. But somewhere between the rise of remote work and the burnout of back-to-back Zoom calls, something curious happened: adults began playing again.
Board games, escape rooms, immersive theatre — once considered the domain of birthday parties and stag dos — are quietly being reimagined as powerful tools for team building, creativity and even business development. The rise of adult play isn’t just a quirky trend. It’s a response to a modern working world that’s hungry for authenticity, collaboration and meaningful human moments.
Take the resurgence of board games, for instance. No longer confined to dusty shelves or nostalgic Christmases, games like Codenames, Wavelength, and Wingspan are making their way into coworking spaces, conferences and leadership off sites. Why? Because they break down barriers. In 20 minutes, a well designed game can reveal more about a person’s thinking style, communication habits, and team dynamics than a day of PowerPoint presentations ever could.
Then there’s the increasingly popular world of escape rooms. Equal parts puzzle, pressure and play, these immersive experiences demand collaboration, lateral thinking and trust — three things every high performing team needs more of. When you’re locked in a room with your colleagues trying to disarm a fictional bomb or solve a Sherlock style mystery, hierarchies blur and real teamwork emerges. It’s learning by doing, minus the dullness.
Immersive events, too, are becoming unlikely spaces for connection. From interactive theatre experiences where guests co-create the narrative, to murder mystery evenings hosted in stately homes, these events blend entertainment with engagement. You’re not just attending — you’re participating. And in that shared space of make believe, you find the kind of spontaneity and openness that traditional networking environments often suppress.
What all these formats have in common is simple: they create a shared experience. In a world where connection is increasingly filtered through screens, shared experience is rare — and powerful. It’s easier to build rapport when you’ve battled zombies together, negotiated a fictional arms deal, or won a game of trivia by knowing which country invented the croissant (spoiler: it was Austria, not France).
For businesses, this presents an opportunity. Instead of dragging your team to another soulless away day, why not put them in an escape room? Swap awkward icebreakers for an evening of strategy games or a murder mystery dinner. Not only are people more likely to remember the experience — they’re more likely to remember each other.
In the end, adult play isn’t about avoiding seriousness — it’s about approaching it differently. Play creates psychological safety, unlocks creativity and fosters trust. And in a world where relationships matter more than ever, it turns out a little fun might just be your best networking tool.
Member Sidebar: Immersive Venues
Here are top-rated immersive experiences available via World Privilege Plus and your members' hub, where members save 15–20% - just log in to access:
• Avora Immersive Cocktail Experience – a theatrical cocktail journey blending mixology with storytelling. (20% off)
• Alcotraz Immersive Cocktail Experience – step into a prohibition era prison break with themed drinks and dramatic flair. (20% off)
• DNA VR – dive into virtual reality adventures that pit teams against immersive puzzles and challenges. (up to 15% off)
