Spotlight: Raccoon Serious Games

Every week, we talk to our clients about everything that motivates them to do business. This week the founders Jasper Müller, Kristel Thieme and Jan-Willem Manenschijn of Raccoon Serious Games talk more about their love for technology and Serious Gaming. High time for Rinkel to get acquainted!

Serious Gaming: what does it mean exactly?
Serious Gaming means making serious, difficult or boring subjects discussable and/or ownable in the form of a game. Raccoon Serious Games develops and facilitates learning experiences that touch and connect. "We believe that people make the difference. That is why we create a safe environment in which people can and - perhaps more importantly - want to develop. An environment in which they learn by doing."

This certainly turned out to be the case, even more than we could handle at first! The three of us started part-time but now count 15 employees."
 

In what area does Raccoon contribute?
"With our serious games, we cover complex and sometimes quite dry topics. When, as a client, you want to discuss topics such as vitality, data-driven working or area development, you quickly end up with one-way traffic concerning information exchange. With our games, you make it more attractive to talk and learn about these topics. Because you are safe in a game, you also see people making different choices that are riskier than they would normally make in real life. As a result, people's authentic behaviour comes out naturally."
 

Where is the technical challenge at Raccoon?
"There is a lot of technology behind our products. We have developed several technological platforms ourselves, one for escape room (physical) and one for our virtual escape room. For example, when building our physical escape rooms, we use in-house developed IoT (Internet of Things) system. These are all separate puzzle components, which must be able to communicate with each other. For example, when a player presses a certain button, you want an audio clip to play or a certain door to open. An escape room easily has more than 30 of these active components. Because we work with customised projects for clients, it is important to be able to make adjustments to these components easily and quickly."
 

Do you also have the ability to play online?
"Yes, developing and offering online escape rooms was of course a logical step in this day and age. For this, we developed the MORSE (Massive Online Reactive Scalable Escaperoom) system. With this system, up to hundreds of people can simultaneously play with and against each other in an online escape room. While playing, you see in real-time how competitors/co-players are doing. This creates an exciting competition. We can also ensure that each team member has access to unique information. This motivates people to work together. All in all, a lot of technology, with multiple challenges every day."