In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, many workers are having to make the shift to home offices, leaving them isolated from their teams. Wondering if games could be a good way to bridge that gap, I asked around the B3 team for their suggestions.
When I walked into the office that Monday morning, it was with a certain feeling I wouldn’t be coming in the next day – not because I’d be sacked, but because we’d all be sent home to begin self-isolation against COVID-19. Sure enough, two hours later, we got the meeting invite. In the space of a few days, we were going to go from a majority office-based workforce to a force of homeworkers, and we were given appropriate advice on how to keep our spirits up and stick together during what would be an unusual time for us all. It’s a process many are having to go through at the moment, and that got me thinking – can we solve our in-team isolation with the right games?
We’ve listed a few suggestions below, in no particular order. The games selected cover a range of system requirements and prices, so there should be something for everyone, no matter the budget.
1 – Rec Room
There are sports to be played, and Rec Room needs you to help play them! Available for nearly every system with some in VR, this co-op sports- and team-game suite offers free fun for everyone, with only cosmetics on the paid side. From impromptu rounds of basketball in the lobby to intense skirmishes of laser tag in multi-level arenas full of blaster fire, there’s a wide range of sports and games for everyone to enjoy.
Rec Room makes it easy to jump in and since its primary focus is being social, it also makes it easy to meet and play with friends or colleagues. You can manually teleport or walk through the lobby to your intended game or instead, more conveniently, you can pull out your wristwatch-like menu system and select exactly where you want to go. There are a lot of options, and for people who just need someone to chat with, the lobby offers a great place to chill in between rounds.
Speaking of chill, if you opt-out of high-intensity games such as Paintball for something more relaxed, there are other games available for you to unwind with. Slower-paced games such as Disc Golf, Bowling, and Charades offer individual turns and allow a focus on conversation instead of action. Rec Room offers an experience for everyone, with fun to be had by all.
Rec Room is available for Steam, Playstation 4, iOS and Oculus.
