Interested in Virtual Team Building Events?
15 mins 
1. What is Virtual Reality?
Virtual reality is an artificial environment generated using computer technology. It places the user inside the experience where they interact with other 3D objects or people. Unlike augmented reality where artificial objects are placed in a real environment, Virtual Reality (VR) takes place in an artificial setting.
The reason ‘reality’ is included in the term is because the environment features a close approximation of the sights, sounds and touch as that of an actual environment. The realness factor hinges on the content and computing power.
Virtual reality uses sensors and graphics to match user movements. The one thing you’ll immediately associate with VR is the headgear or head-mounted display. You can either view the visual on a wide or compact screen depending on the kind of game you’re playing.
VR gear locates the position of the player’s eyes. When the head turns, the graphics detect a change in the position of the eyes and react accordingly.
2. Why Do We Need Virtual Team Building?
When teams are dispersed and working apart from each other, a disconnect ensues. Discussions become all about work and less about sustaining that relationship and camaraderie. In the office, you can conduct team building exercises as often and with whoever you like since physical presence is an undeniable tangible.
Remotely, however, conversationals aren’t nearly as frequent and deliberate as you want them to be. Even team building becomes a once-off activity rather than a regular exercise due to the constraints of distance, individual bandwidth and the actual workload itself. When it comes to team building, half the fun lies in the build up. Trying out several different types of team building activities gives everyone something to look forward to, as opposed to a repeat of what was done previously.
In virtual reality team building, team members have an opportunity to explore an alternate landscape and theme, which requires their complete attention and engagement. Using VR for team building offers a fresh perspective, allowing teams to connect and collaborate in immersive digital landscapes. Most team building VR games can either be played in person, remotely or even as a combination where one player dons the VR gear while receiving instructions from other players. From solving intricate puzzles to collaborating in fantastical landscapes, virtual reality team building activities are a new way to help teams bond and work together.
3. Virtual Reality Games for Teams
3.1. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
About
Sounds like a line from Die Hard, doesn’t it? Keep talking and Nobody Explodes is a Co-Op bomb defusing game created by Steel Crate Games,a game studio based in Ottawa, Canada. You can play it either on desktops, iOS or Android phones. It works well if you are looking at VR team building games.
How the game works
The game puts a single player alone in a room with a bomb. The player can see the bomb but does not have the manual to defuse it. The others play as the ‘Experts’ and should instruct you to defuse the bomb before it's too late. The catch here is that they can’t see what the bomb looks like since they’re not in the room with you. Success depends on your teamwork and ability to instruct and guide the player.
What I like about this game is how it plays up on friendship being crucial to your survival. You can feel the tension and adrenaline as you work through it and try acting on the inputs given by your teammates.
What you’ll need:
- A gaming console such as an Xbox or PS4
- Mobile or PC VR platforms such as Google Daydream, Oculus Go or GearVR
Price: $9.99 (mobile)
$14.99 ( Windows)free a
3.2. The Infinite Loop
About
The Infinite loop caters to a global audience located in 40+ countries and have conducted 500 events so far. They offer both remote and in-person VR experiences, the latter of which requires participants to don VR headsets while solving business challenges.
How the game works
The indoor version of the game lasts for 2 hours and accommodates 6-8 players on a team. The game’s backstory involves a white hat hacker group who is on a secret mission. One person on the team wears a headset obtained from an elusive and mysterious company that calls itself ‘The Odyssey’.
The trouble is, the minute the headset’s on, the person is physically thrown into a virtual world and is trapped inside it. It's up to the rest of the teammates to go back and forth between the real and virtual worlds to bring their missing colleague back to reality.
The online game will require players to take it from their laptop and involves rescuing a boy trapped aboard a spaceship. There are a series of doors that can be unlocked if you answer the puzzle correctly. The team will need to discuss solutions over a breakout room in a video conferencing platform. Both these team building VR games are action-packed and intense, because it plays up heavily on the time factor and solving for clues before the missing person is permanently trapped. The infinite loop gives players a real challenge, one that helps teams communicate and work together to solve what appears to be impossible.
What you’ll need:
- Internet Connection
- Oculus Go
Price : Get in touch with them for a booking quote.
3.3. The Rec Room
About
The rec room is a free VR team building game that can be downloaded and played via console, desktop or mobile.
How the game works
The rec room (short for recreation room) lives up to its name by offering you a variety of VR team building games to socialize over with your team. You can create an avatar and try out the Maker pen to build objects, animals or other people. If you’re unsure how to start, Rec room offers room building tutorials here.
What you’ll need:
- A mobile or PC via Steam.
- xBox or Quest
Price
Free
3.4. QuiVr Vanguard
About
QuiVr Vanguard is an archery game created by Alvios Inc, a gaming studio. They released the mechanics on the Oculus controller besides offering the virtual reality team building experience on other supported platforms such as GearVr.
How the game works
QuiVr is perfect for beginners who want to play something fun and safe, as well as team building VR games. It involves taking your enemies down with your virtual bow and arrow. You can play it multiplayer style or solo. Some players have reported the game to include options to reload and use the beam arrow on your enemies which are similar to handling guns.
It's a great archery simulator if you just want to ease yourself into the VR world.
What you’ll need
- Oculus Go controller
- GearVR or Go
- Internet connection (optional)
Price
$9.99
3.5. The Experiment Escape Room
About
The Experimental escape is based in Leamington Spa, Warwick and offers 2 live and 5 virtual reality team building experiences.
How the game works
The Experimental escape room involves attempting your escape in virtual reality. You have 60 minutes to work out the clues using logic, deductive reasoning and teamwork.
You can choose any one from 5 scenarios when you come in person which are
- Time Travel Paradox.
- Depths of Osiris
- Space Station Tiberia
- Dragon Tower
- Manor of Escape
Once you book your date and slot, you’ll be directed to make the payment. I personally liked the sound of Manor of Escape because it has an element of ‘creepy’ to it to send a chill down your spine, driving you to focus on the task of escaping all the more so!
What you’ll need
- VR headsets (provided after check in)
Price
GBP 25 (for adults) and GBP 20 (kids aged 13-17)
3.6. Reiko’s Fragments
About
Reiko’s fragments is a game developed by Pixel Canvas studios. This game is available on SteamPowered and is your most terrifying Japanese horror movie come to life!
How the game works
In this virtual reality game, the players have to flee a vengeful ghost residing in a haunted house. The Ghost (Reiko) reacts to sounds so the challenge lies in moving about as quietly and stealthily as you can. Your teammates will play as the spirits and will have full control over the house. You can take turns to control the scaring, with upto 8 players playing on phone and one via VR.
What you’ll need
- VR headset (optional - the game is available in standard mode)
Price: $4
3.7. Takelings House Party: It’s Eight Against One in This House Full of Fun
About
The Takelings house party is another VR team building offering you’ll see on SteamPowered. It was developed by Dimnhouse in 2019. It is also one of our top picks for team building vr games.
How the game works
The Takelings are pests that invade a suburban residence. 8 of the players play as the Takelings and face off against Hal, an exterminator who has to go from room to room to get rid of them. The VR player in this case will be Hal.
You can play this with gamepads, keyboard or your mobile acting as the controller.
What you’ll need
- Internet connection and
- VR headset
Price
$7.99
3.8. Chicks and Tricks VR
About
Chicks and Tricks is available on SteamPowered and was created by Shapeshift Entertainment.
How the game works
Of all the virtual reality team building games, I’d say this one’s the easiest but limits the gameplay to two players. It's a battle between a farmer and fox to herd up as many chickens as they can. The farmer will be on VR while the fox is controlled via PC. The players score a point based on whether they manage to catch as many chickens, or eat them (if one of the players is playing the fox). The player with the most points wins.
What you’ll need:
- Roomscale VR ( highly recommended)
- Room size of minimum 2m by 1.5 m.
Price
$2.67
3.9. Fantastic Contraption
About
Fantastic Contraption is a building game that was made by Northway Games and Radial Corp in 2008. 8 years later, SteamPowered added it as a VR experience.
How the game works
Fantastic Contraption lets you create life-sized machines that can fly, whirr,buzz and move to the other side of a floating island. The rule of the game is to get the purple ball to the goal in the distance. You can use any tool that you create from your imagination!
The game has 50 levels from simple to extremely complex and seemingly impossible. Although you’ll be handling the game on controllers, the graphics and mechanics are so smooth that you’ll think you’re actually using your own hands! If you loved creating skyscrapers out of legos, consider this virtual reality team building game an upgrade!
What you’ll need
- VR headsets (HTC Vive,Oculus Rift)
- Sitting or Standing Play area.
Price
$7.11
3.10. NBA 2K VR
About
The NBA 2K22 is a virtual reality basketball game developed by Take-Two Interactive Software.
How the game works
If you’ve always wanted to live the life of a basketball star, you’ll love playing this vr team building game. It will ramp up the hype and make you feel like you’re out on the courts yourself. And it's not just shooting hoops, players can also explore the city’s stores and the landscape no matter which team you’re playing for.
You can play offense and defense and experiment with techniques. You’ll earn more points as you play and can go against other teams from around the world.
What you’ll need
- PS4 or XBox 1
Price
Pricing information can be found on Sony.
3.11. Meditation VR
About
Oculus offers a guided meditative tour virtually that helps teams to wind down, relax and find inner peace. The vr team building game is created by Cubicle Ninjas and works in single-player mode.
How the game works
I wouldn’t call relaxing a game, but the meditation tour is exactly what the team will need to release pent-up stress. It offers 100+ soothing scenes and 20+ hours of guided meditation techniques to address different problems-including insomnia and depression. You can customize the experience by adding your preferred audio tracks and use a timer to manage your session independently. You can choose to do this with everyone at the same time where they’ll individually require a controller, or on your own.
What you’ll need:
- A touchpad Gear VR controller
- Gear VR or Go.
Price
Free with an Oculus or Facebook account
3.12. Everest VR
About
Everest VR is a game simulation published by Solfar Studios. It places the player at the site of one of the world’s most majestic mountain ranges.
How the game works
The simulation will have you walk over the snow capped terrain, interacting with snow as you navigate the space. You can satisfy your wanderlust by creating a Viveport account to start the simulation.
What you’ll need
- Oculus Rift, Vive or Vive Cosmos Elite
Price
$6.17
3.13. Harry Potter VR
About
The Harry Potter virtual reality game takes place in New York and offers interesting games, team building, and merchandise, depending on your choice!
How the game works
As a Potterhead, you can imagine my delight in finding a magical VR experience! The two Harry Potter VR experiences offered are
- Chaos at Hogwarts and
- Wizards take flight (alluding to Quidditch, maybe?)
The first experience is modeled after the events that take place in the Chamber of Secrets, when Harry and Ron Weasley miss the train that takes them back to Hogwarts. You’ll move around the castle, casting spells, trapping pixies and discovering hidden passages to stop the chaos. The second VR experience is a bit more action packed, where you’ll fly on brooms and battle the Death Eaters in London. No guesses on which one we ended up going with! The race in the skies against the Death Eaters made us feel like we were really swerving aside and deflecting spells that rained down on us!
What you’ll need:
VR headset
Price
Tickets are available at the harrypotterstore and cost $34
3.14. Superhot
About
Superhot is a virtual reality game developed in Poland back in 2013 as an entry to the week-long Game Jam challenge.
How the game works
Superhot VR lets you take down your enemies who are coming at you from all sides. Bullets are flying through the air and your reflexes to dodge them will determine if you’ll survive and become one with the system. You have to move and swerve lithely to avoid adding your name to the body count in this vr team building game.
The game is very fast-paced and dynamic, requiring you to be vigilant and watchful.
What you’ll need
- Vive, PlayStation or Oculus
Price
$24.99
3.15. Arizona Sunshine
About
Arizona Sunshine is a Zombie survival virtual reality game published by Vertigo Games. It is compatible with Oculus Quest, Rift and PS4.
How the game works
The player awakes in a cave in arid Arizona. In the course of exploring, he or she will encounter the Undead horde of Zombies. As the player kills each one, he finds radios possessing different signal strengths. The mission is to avoid being turned into a zombie and radio in to be rescued.
You can opt to play with a co-player, or team up with 4 other participants or even go at it solo.
What you’ll need
- VR headset
- Google Cardboard viewer
- Download Oculus Rift or HTC Vive
Price:
Free
4. FAQs
4.1. What can you do with virtual reality?
Virtual reality creates lifelike simulations that let you experience a different scenario. You can use it to be transported to an island, movie theatre or even an abandoned warehouse! Your imagination will fly free in a setting packed with action and engrossing mechanics and graphics!
4.2. What are some engaging VR Team games?
Our personal recommendations from this compilation of virtual reality team building include
- The Harry Potter VR
- Reiko’s fragments
- Keep talking and Nobody Explodes
- Everest
- Arizona Sunshine
4.3. What are virtual reality team building activities?
Virtual reality team building activities involve using VR technology to engage team members in collaborative challenges or experiences, fostering team cohesion, communication, and problem-solving in an immersive environment. Embracing VR for team building ensures that teams not only face challenges but also celebrate successes in vivid, shared virtual experiences.
4.4. What are virtual reality games for events?
Virtual reality games for events are interactive experiences designed for event attendees using VR technology. They allow participants to immerse themselves in a digital environment, often enhancing engagement and entertainment at events such as trade shows, corporate gatherings, parties, and more.
