A new trend is sweeping the event scene: Game shows in Hamburg. New concepts are popping up everywhere, and HR managers are thrilled because there’s a new team-building event format. But is every game show in Hamburg really suitable for team-building events?
My name is Christoph, and I’ve been self-employed in Hamburg’s leisure industry for 12 years. I established OPOLUM in the Speicherstadt, helped shape the escape room industry in Germany as a pioneer from the very beginning, developed my own B2B game show, and have already tested other game shows in Hamburg with my team.
The result really surprised me, and this blog post is a must-read for anyone planning to organize a game show team event in Hamburg or anywhere in Germany! Let’s dive in:
Where does the concept of a “game show” come from?
The basic concept has been around for decades and was largely shaped by Stefan Raab on German television: many different, entertaining mini-games are played one after another. The winner earns points toward the overall victory. That said, the format of game shows in Germany varies widely: with or without a host, with or without sound and special effects, featuring elaborate or simple games, and designed for large or small groups. What’s exciting is that everyone agrees on the prize: €€€€.
Since the barrier to entry into the new world of game shows is still very low, some providers don’t even bother decorating their venues. This has led to a high concentration of game shows in Germany right now, a trend that will continue to grow. Just as with escape rooms, the quality of these offerings will improve over time, after which a wave of consolidation will set in and “low-cost providers” will disappear again. But it will be years before that happens, and in the meantime, you’ll need to identify which providers offer a B2B game show that will truly help your team move forward.
The B2B Factor: Why Most Game Shows Aren’t Suitable for Companies
When we started with the new “escape rooms” in 2014, it was all about the product and creativity. We built a new “genre,” but it wasn’t designed for large groups. When the requests came in, we “kind of offered that as well,” and then realized that indoor escape rooms measuring 12 square meters for 4 people weren’t at all suitable for team events. We then split 20 people across 5 different rooms. The result: The experience works for individuals, but not for groups. Team events require everyone to have the same experience at the same time, and one and the same product doesn’t work for both B2B and B2C. So far, we’ve had to tailor every product—whether an indoor escape room or an outdoor escape game—specifically to the needs of team events.
And it’s exactly this tendency to “just throw it in there” that I’ve experienced firsthand with game show providers and see among many operators as well. You can’t even blame the providers for this—but unfortunately, it’s disastrous for the success of your team event.
For me, the game show wasn’t a sudden trend or a creative flash of inspiration I had in the shower. I had to solve a very specific, internal problem for our customers:
- Bringing Large Groups Together: Many companies want to play an escape game as a team-building event, but absolutely do not want to be split up as a group. Spoiler: In traditional escape rooms, this is physically impossible.
- The Search for Variety: As team-building event experts, we’re extremely popular and well-known among companies for our outdoor escape games for up to 120 people in Hamburg’s Speicherstadt. But once a company has hosted an escape game as a team-building event, they’re looking for something new the following year. Teams need variety.
That’s exactly why we’ve created a product designed specifically for large groups: a show where up to 24 people can play the exact same experience at the same time in the same room.
Three Examples of When Game Shows Don’t Work for Team Events
Not every game show is suitable for a team event. If you choose the wrong format, you risk creating a bad atmosphere within the team. I’ll show you three examples to watch out for before booking. We’ll compare them directly to our game show in Hamburg, which was developed specifically for B2B events.
1. The selection of games—with the example “QUIZ”?
The game “Quiz” is a good indicator of the target audience for which the game show is intended. Classic B2C quiz formats work like this: A question appears on the screen, and whoever presses the buzzer the fastest gets the point.
For private gatherings of friends, the “one-on-one” approach is perfectly fine. But for me, as a team-event expert, it’s a flawed concept for B2B events. Where’s the sense of unity and collaborative discussion? No one wants to see a single, dominant employee answering all the questions on their own at a corporate event while the rest of the team stands by silently. Worse yet: for quieter employees, being in the spotlight like this can be really uncomfortable.
How we solved it: For us, the quiz is a true group experience. Up to 12 players on a team must actively consult with each other before giving an answer. Everyone can voice their opinion; there’s talking, discussing, and team decision-making. This fosters interaction and brings the team closer together—and that’s exactly what you want to achieve with a team event.
And there are plenty of other games where only one person can shine, or where everyone plays on their own, or where you don’t have to talk! Sometimes, at least, you can take a close look at the social media clips beforehand and see exactly how many people are actually playing together or against each other.
2. Hosting: A part-time job for students or a true show-off?
A game show stands or falls 90% on the host. You want a host who motivates the group, gets them excited, explains the rules in a charming way, and keeps everyone in good spirits.
For research purposes, my team and I tested out other game shows ourselves. Many game show organizers actually underestimate the importance of the host. I’ve encountered wonderful hosts, but I’ve also come across very unmotivated staff members who really ruined our team event. At one team event at a game show, we had a very nice but extremely quiet student who, without any enthusiasm, simply read the rules and recorded the scores. That was it. Unfortunately, this didn’t create any atmosphere, competition, or team spirit. If you end up with a bad or unmotivated host, the entire team event falls apart. Unfortunately, that’s a risk you take with every booking.
How we did it: Our company’s DNA is made up of actors who bring our escape rooms in Hamburg to life. They’re natural show-offs, talented improvisers, and people who truly love entertaining others. My team loves the game show precisely because our hosts set the studio on fire every single time.
3. The point system can cause a lot of problems
You probably don’t give much thought to how the scoring system works on a game show, do you? How important could that really be? Here’s an example for you: On a game show outside Hamburg, the scoring system was very poorly thought out. Every game was worth the same number of points—throughout the entire show! As a result, we had no chance of winning three or four games before the game show even ended. We brought this up with our rather lackluster host, but she just ignored us. Thirty minutes before the end of the game show, the event was over because we just couldn’t get motivated anymore! What a bummer!
How we solved it: A points system shouldn’t be rigid. We developed a principle that allows both teams to still win right up until the very last game! And by using psychological anchors, we even create an “all-or-nothing” feeling for both groups through the points in the final game! Points can be a source of excitement when you adapt the scoring system for B2B events!
Why You Can’t Go Wrong with the OPOLUM Game Show in Hamburg
Up to 12 people in a single, closed team—and up to 24 people in the entire game show—you’ll only find this format here. Our structure is designed so that players rotate through the different rounds, take turns, watch their colleagues, and can relax with a drink on the side. Strategically scheduled breaks provide an extra opportunity for interaction. This ensures that, within the two-hour event, all team members are guaranteed the chance to engage closely with a large number of colleagues.
In addition to the classic 4-on-4 matches, we explored other ways to enhance team building: In our exclusive Blackbox Challenge, the entire team must solve two complex puzzle boxes in exactly 15 minutes. The constant communication and the need to rotate between the boxes make for an absolute collaborative highlight.
It took us years to fully understand this interplay—a learning process that every new game show provider on the market naturally has to go through first. If your company is looking to host a game show in Hamburg that fosters genuine communication, strengthens team cohesion, and guarantees an engaging host, then invest your budget wisely. The OPOLUM Game Show was developed specifically for this purpose—so you can play it safe with your team event and be sure you’re doing everything right.
I hope you enjoyed this post. Maybe we’ll see each other at OPOLUM.
Click here for our OPOLUM Game Show in Hamburg.
Best regards
Christoph
