In their 45 years of existence, tabletop role-playing games, or adventure games like Dungeons & Dragons have been a hobby for people from all walks of life. Many of which have told about the positive impact in their creativity, learning, and social skills. Research on the benefits of games in general, and adventure games in particular, has been consolidating these claims since the 1980s. Education professionals around the world use these games as an effective way to increase engagement and learning in many topics.
Escape rooms are a popular way to identify and work on the relationships within a group. Tabletop role-playing games work in exactly the same way, but in a deeper and more relaxed atmosphere. With a lower organisational cost, tabletop adventure games are ideal to reinforce learning through repetition. They are also a cost effective way to fight workplace burnout.
Participants in a D&D game act through a character, which helps them interact and collaborate in different and unexpected ways. While they are often quiet at a work meeting, shy people come out of their shell and offer valuable insight. This helps them gain confidence, and reminds their team mates that they often have great ideas to offer.
Old school adventure games are known for their focus on imaginative problem solving. Players engage with a fictional world to learn its rules, then make decisions according to these rules. The fact they learn this when escaping the minotaur’s maze doesn’t make a difference, as they will apply these skills in their careers for the rest of their lives!