50 Different Benefits of Live-Action Gaming

Marketing Your Battlefield Business - 50 Benefits to Sell Your Customers on LIVE-Action Gaming

Have you ever thought, really thought, about the benefits of live-action gaming?

Consumers these days want to know more about your product than the headline package (i.e. birthday parties, team building etc.).

That's not the whole story.

People want to know they are going to get an experience worth their money.

Consider: what are the core benefits for your customers?

I like to say we sell 'happy memories'.

But that's just one of the many reasons for your customers to participate in a live-action gaming experience.

To make it easier to digest I’ve categorized them into 4 different groups: social; physical, skill, and psychological benefits.

So, let’s dive right in and start with the social benefits of live-action gaming.

THE SOCIAL BENEFITS

Live-action gaming is social. Players who experience live-action gaming are going to meet plenty of new people. It is a way to meet plenty of new people and build a closer bond with friends and co-workers.

Live-action scenarios are a great ice-breaker for a team-building event. It is a terrific activity for a birthday party or sports team celebration.

Think: Team-Play – Both with other Team-mates and the Opposition Players
Think: Motivation & Encouragement
Think: Friendships & Rivalries
Think: Community, both on the Field and Online
Think: Camaraderie & a Sense of Belonging

Playing a mental and physical scenario that focuses on team objectives can create great friendships amongst the players. We’ve even had a few of our regular players meet boyfriend/girlfriends and a couple has even ended up getting married.

Those are just a few of the social benefits of live-action gaming. Can you think of some others?

THE PHYSICAL BENEFITS

Live-action gaming is a get-up-and-go experience. It is not virtual. This the player, actually moving themselves around the forest or the arena. Even if you have a "no running" rule the players are still ducking and weaving, walking around the playing field. Bottom-line: it is a physical activity. And there are a lot of benefits that come with that.

Think: Stress-relief. De-stressing from Work and Other Pressures of Life.
Think: Health or Wellness.
Think: Endurance and Stamina.
Think: Agility & Balance.
Think: Hand/eye Coordination
Think: an Active Lifestyle & Calorie Burning
Think: Strength & Flexibility.
Think: a Better Life & maybe even a Longer Life!

Studies on other sports and recreation have discovered that participation in regular exercise can contribute to longevity. Sure, customers could choose an event that’s less active. Lazy even. But live-action gaming doesn’t really FEEL like exercise when you are in the moment.

Playing a live-action role-play offers a story inside the scenario. This creates an immersive experience. There are movement and lots of action! Playing live-action games enable players to engage in cardiovascular exercise and to strengthen their muscles without endless hours on a treadmill.

It is an opportunity to have fun.

It’s a story-driving experience, a way to experience the thrill of the scenario.

Successful summer camp operator from Washington, USA, Mark McKinney agrees: "We have six different themes or storylines in our camps. One of the themes is about history. They are immersed in the culture of the battle. Such as the 101st airborne dropped behind enemy lines. They are charging the beaches on D-Day and stuff like that.”

“That’s one of the reasons for our great re-bookings for the second year of camp. When the kids were immersed, in a story. When the kids had a story-line, a background as to why they were trying to take this hill then they got really engaged. Offering a "special ops" theme in our summer camp has worked well for us," said Mark.

As humans, if we experience high-intensity physical activity then our brain releases endorphins. This makes you feel good.

Those are just some of the physical benefits live-action gaming provides. Can you think of some others?

SKILL BENEFITS

Live-action gaming is easy to pick-up.

Literally, you turn the gaming gun on and can start blasting! But playing well does require some skill.

As a beginner, it is straightforward to start playing. But once a gamer has played several times, they can learn new skills. Think: Tactical Game-Play & Strategy

Think: Quick Decision Making & Awareness of the Environment
Think: Target-Acquisition & Anticipation of the Opposition
Think: Victories – Personal Wins and Personal Best Performances as well as Team Victories.

As live-action gamer improves their skills, they can decide during the scenario when to defend, or when to attack; when to go it alone or when to work as a duo or squad. It is vital for a player, as part of their game success, to be aware of their terrain.

More they also need to be aware of what the others are doing. What both their team-mates and the opposition players are doing, or likely to do next. This sort of multi-faceted experience is thrilling. Those are just some of the skill-development benefits live-action gaming provides. Can you think of some others?

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS

Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of live-action gaming is its psychological benefits.

Think: Fun & Games, literally!
Think: Confidence & a Positive Mental Attitude
Think: Resilience & Courage under Fire
Think: Friendly Competition & Real Challenge.
Think: Knowing how to Win & how to Lose
Think: Learning how to Handle Pressure & what to do when there’s Little Stimulus
Think: Better Inter-personal Skills & a Sense of Fair-play
Think: Intensity & Concentration.

Even though the bullets are not real, the experience is authentic. It takes courage to keep trying to take the objective, especially when you are doing to your last hit-point and you’ve already taken too many respawns!

If some of your players are introverts then a live-action game is great for them. Why? Because it encourages participation from all sorts of player-types. Some gamers go gung-ho and charge in. Some gamers hang back and sniper from the rear.

No-one is left out.

Those are just some of the psychological benefits live-action gaming provides. Can you think of some others?

IN SUMMARY, BRINGING ALL THESE BENEFITS TOGETHER

This list of different benefits of a live-action game is designed to get you to consider new ways of thinking about this adventure activity. Finding new ways to sell it.

You can include these concepts in communications with potential customers and players.

The idea is to sell benefits, not just tickets or packages.

Select one or two of these benefits to help promote your service. As well as advertising your products and services, consider incorporating you physical, psychological, social and skill benefits.