This is not new, life-size investigation games are very popular! Obviously, two words come to mind when talking about this trend: escape game. With the first launch in France in 2013, the number of “rooms” was around 300 in 2017, to finally reach over 800 today.

Nevertheless, a wind of lassitude is felt on this side, and this is where the treasure hunt game stands out. With a 2009 creation, Qui veut pister is a forerunner of investigation games and has managed to offer an experience that is sufficiently rich and varied not to fall into the trap of an escape game trend that is reaching saturation point.

Immersion is the key

With its setting, elaborate mechanisms and time pressure, an escape game wants its players to be fully immersed in the experience.

For its part, Qui veut pister has decided to rely on a more fundamental approach to immersion: the involvement of the participant in a story. Simply unlocking or escaping will not be enough. The setting also plays a role here, as the plot takes full advantage of the notion of “life-size” with an entire neighbourhood as the exploration ground.

Companies are getting into the game

In addition to its public success, the investigation game has also reached another type of participant: the company. If escape games work for the smallest of companies, it is difficult to do effective team-building in a room (or two) with more than 10 or 15 people.

And that’s where the tracking game comes in again. With room for 10 to several hundred participants, a Qui veut pister game is ideal for reinforcing teamwork in a playful way.

For the general public or companies, the life-size investigation game continues its rise. If the escape game is the figurehead, it seems that the instigator of the trend, the scavenger hunt, will also be the revival.