The New Language of Corporate Training: Games
In an era where lengthy presentations and one-way slides tire teams, the most lasting way to learn is to experience something firsthand. In international literature, this approach, called a "serious game", hides real business skills within an enjoyable game, allowing employees to both have fun and develop unknowingly. Game-based learning is rapidly spreading in many areas, from team building activities to leadership programs, HR and Learning & Development (L&D) processes.
This is where Before Mars was designed precisely for this need: a multiplayer cooperative strategy game where a corporate team struggles shoulder to shoulder. The goal is simple yet challenging: to collectively move humanity to Mars.
What is Before Mars?
Before Mars is a browser-based (no installation required) corporate team game. 3-4 teams collectively build a Mars colony over approximately 90 minutes and 20 rounds. Each player participates from their own phone; the facilitator manages the entire game from a single screen. The rule at the heart of the game is also the essence of corporate life: you either win together or lose together.
Roles and Gameplay
The game is based on roles that mimic a real team structure:
- Captain: Distributes resources, sets priorities, and guides the team — in other words, sits in the leadership seat.
- Workers (Processor, Fuel, Metal, Food): Each manages a specialized area; success comes only through coordination and communication.
- Crises: Unexpected events such as meteor strikes, oxygen shortages, and food scarcity put the team into a real crisis management simulation.
Resource management, role distribution, and collaborative decision-making; these are ingrained into the team's muscle memory in every round of the game.
Which Corporate Competencies Does Before Mars Develop?
Beneath the fun lies a serious learning design. Before Mars activates multiple competencies simultaneously in a single session:
- Leadership: The Captain role allows players to experience decision-making under pressure and taking responsibility.
- Communication and negotiation: Properly allocating limited resources requires continuous and clear communication.
- Strategic thinking: A balance is struck between short-term production and long-term goals.
- Crisis management: The reflex to react calmly and coordinately to sudden events develops.
- Team awareness: Seeing the impact of everyone's role on the whole strengthens the culture of collaboration.
Who Is It Ideal For?
Before Mars stands out as a powerful corporate leadership and team building game especially in the following scenarios:
- Experiential leadership and collaboration training for HR and L&D units
- In-company team building and department integration activities
- Orientation programs and rapid integration of new teams
- Group dynamics studies in university and workshop settings
Before planning your event, you can review the corporate presentation that explains the game's structure and flow, and we can determine the most suitable format for your team together.
Part of the MediaRubic Ecosystem
Before Mars is not just a standalone game; it is a concrete example of MediaRubic's broader corporate gamification solutions approach developed specifically for organizations. By combining education, measurement, and technology, we design experiences that increase employee engagement and learning retention.
Move Humanity to Mars Together
If you want to make your next team event unforgettable, discover this experience that brings your team together around a single goal. You can start playing Before Mars now or contact us for a session tailored to your organization. Success is possible with coordination, communication, and the right strategy — just like in real life.
