Team building for game studios

The best team building for a game studio is something other than another game: a cocktail or coffee kit shipped to every developer, artist and QA tester, an improv class, or a hosted quiz where knowing games gives no edge. Book it after a milestone or once the launch patch is out, in work hours, never during crunch.

See the activitiesGet a free quote

3,000+ teams served ยท Plan back within 24 hours

Game studio developers and artists laugh while mixing cocktails at a shared desk, with concept art on a monitor and remote teammates on a laptop call

Game developer team building activities

People who make and test games all week enjoy a change of format. Each runs about 60 minutes with a live host, and prices are live from our catalog.

Kits and tastings: hands busy, screens off

A kit ships to each person's home and a live expert leads the group on your video call. Nothing to win, nothing to test.

Live hosts, not another game night

Competitive, but knowing games gives nobody an edge: rounds on surveys, film and music, or improv where everyone starts cold.

Want a show nobody has to play? Book a virtual magic show. Planning for a whole tech company, not just the studio? See team building for tech companies.

Everyone who ships the game, not only the core team

A studio is many crafts with different days. Mix them on every team, and invite the people who usually get left off the list.

  • Programmers

    Gameplay, engine and tools. They like a puzzle but get enough of them. For tech-wide ideas, see team building for engineers.

  • Artists and animators

    They draw all day on a tablet. A wood burning or cocktail kit puts real tools in their hands.

  • Game and level designers

    They write rules all day. Improv lets them play without designing anything.

  • QA testers

    Often at another site or on contract, and rarely invited. Play is their shift, so give them a kit.

  • Community and player support

    They hear every player complaint first. An hour with the devs who fix them goes a long way.

  • Producers and audio

    Producers usually book it, so let the host run the hour and play too. Audio wins the music quiz.

When to book: milestones, launches and patch cycles

A studio's calendar runs on milestones and release dates. Book the hour just after one lands.

Example: a March 2027 launch party

For a celebration on Thursday, March 11, 2027:

  • Hosted game: book by Thursday, February 25, 2027
  • Kit, US addresses: book by Thursday, February 18, 2027
  • Kit, Canada or abroad: book by Thursday, February 4, 2027

  1. Milestone

    The week after a milestone is signed off

    Alpha, beta or a vertical slice is approved and the next sprint hasn't ramped up yet.

  2. After launch

    Two to three weeks after launch

    Once the first patch is out and player reports slow down, ship a kit to everyone who worked on it.

  3. Live game

    The quiet week after a season or update goes live

    Live teams run on a content calendar. The week after a drop is the one with room.

  4. New project

    When a new team spins up

    People from three old projects on one new one. A mixed-team game helps them meet properly.

  5. Skip

    Launch week, submission windows and the push to a milestone

    Nobody wants an event on top of a deadline. Book the hour for after it.

Team building is not a crunch fix

An event can say thank you after a hard stretch. It can't make one easier while it lasts. Five ground rules.

  • After the push, never during it. If the team is working long hours, the kindest event is no event. Put the celebration on the calendar for after.
  • In work hours. A Thursday afternoon slot, not a Friday night after a long week.
  • Opt in, cameras optional. Say what it is and how long it runs, and nobody is marked absent.
  • It is a thank-you, not a fix. An hour of fun says thanks. It doesn't replace time off after a hard stretch.
  • Invite everyone who shipped it. QA, community, contractors and people at other sites, where their contracts allow.

One studio, several time zones

Remote studios rarely share a working day. Two slots cover most teams, and kits go to every home.

  • Americas and Europe

    9 am Pacific

    That is 12 pm Eastern and 5 pm in London while the US and UK are both on winter time.

  • Asia-Pacific

    Run it again at 3 pm Pacific

    In the northern winter that is 10 am the next morning in Sydney. Same format, booked as a second event.

  • Kits

    Every kit goes to each home

    Continental US shipping is included; Canada, Alaska, Hawaii, US territories and international addresses cost extra. See global kit shipping.

More on scheduling across regions in global team building.

What it costs for a team, a studio or the whole company

Hosted games are a package for the group that grows in steps, so the price per head falls as more people join. Kits are a base fee plus a price for each kit.

Total price for the whole group, by headcount
ImprovHosted improv class20 people$95050 people$1,350100 people$1,350
Fun-Filled FeudHosted game, rotating teams20 people$97550 people$1,195100 people$1,635
Coffee TastingKit workshop, shipped to each person20 people$2,15950 people$4,829100 people$9,279
Mixology Cocktail TrioCocktail kit, guests 21+20 people$2,35950 people$5,329100 people$10,279

Totals for the whole group from our live catalog prices, with continental US kit shipping included. Several studios or a publisher-wide event? Get a free quote.

Team building for game studios: questions

What is good team building for game studios?

Something other than another game. A cocktail, coffee or craft kit shipped to every developer, artist and QA tester with a live host on your video call, an improv class, or a hosted quiz on surveys, film or music where knowing games gives no edge. Book it after a milestone or once the launch patch is out, in work hours, never during crunch.

What game developer team building works for people who play games all day?

Pick formats that use different muscles. Kits get people off their screens, improv puts everyone at the same starting line, and survey, film or music rounds keep it competitive without rewarding game knowledge. QA testers in particular play for a living, so a game night can feel like another shift.

When should a game studio schedule team building?

The week after a milestone is signed off, two to three weeks after launch once the first patch ships, the quiet week after a live update, or when a new project team forms. Avoid launch week, submission windows and the push to a milestone.

Can team building help a team that is in crunch?

Not during it. An event on top of long hours is one more thing on the calendar. Book the celebration for after the deadline, in work hours, and treat it as a thank-you, not a substitute for time off.

How does a remote studio across time zones do one event?

Run it twice. A 9 am Pacific slot reaches the Americas and Europe, and a 3 pm Pacific slot reaches Asia-Pacific the next morning. Kits ship to every home, with extra shipping for Canada, Alaska, Hawaii, US territories and international addresses.

How much does team building for a game studio cost?

Hosted games are a package for the group, and kit workshops are a base fee plus a price for each kit. Improv is $38 a person for a group of 25. Coffee Tasting is $89 a person plus a $379 base fee. Every card on this page shows its live price, and you see the full total before you book.

How far ahead should we book a launch celebration?

About 2 weeks for a hosted game, 3 weeks for kits going to US addresses and 5 weeks with anyone in Canada or abroad. For a celebration on Thursday, March 11, 2027, book a hosted game by Thursday, February 25, 2027, US kits by Thursday, February 18, 2027 and kits with guests abroad by Thursday, February 4, 2027.

Keep planning

Thank the people who shipped it

Send us your date, headcount and where your studio works. You get a plan and a price within 24 hours.

See the activitiesGet a free quote