Innovation serious game
Moët Hennessy
How do you get internal teams on board with complex, strategic scientific projects? For the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) division at Moët Hennessy, Arcane Experience designed a one-of-a-kind bespoke programme. The brief: turn advanced research into the vineyard and the wine of tomorrow, in the face of climate change, into a hands-on experience that’s accessible and memorable.
The challenge: sharing scientific culture without the jargon
Moët Hennessy’s RDI division faced a sizeable challenge: making its innovation work tangible for employees from cross-functional departments (finance, marketing, HR). To spark interest and help people take ownership of this strategic knowledge, the top-down technical presentation had to go. The aim was to design an innovation serious game innovation capable of translating high-tech data into a smooth, engaging experiential journey.
Our answer: a flash escape room built on experimentation
To work around the tight schedules of teams at the Paris head office, Arcane devised a disruptive format: a four-stage mini escape room, representing the four pillars of research at the maison. Built over 2.5 months of production, the game skips the theory and goes straight to action.
Immersive storytelling
Each stage drops participants into a rich narrative world, with a mission tied directly to the transformation of the vineyard.
Experience over explanation
The game lets players experience the mechanics of innovation through puzzles and hands-on manipulation.
A “day in their shoes” format
Solving these challenges as a team, players step into the shoes of RDI researchers and see first-hand how science shapes the future of the group’s wines and spirits.
Precision logistics: 120 participants, back to back
One of the project’s great successes lies in its logistical design, built to slot seamlessly into an open day at Moët Hennessy:
A 20-minute flash format
Short and intense, ideal for capturing employees’ attention during working hours without disrupting departments.
The “briefing airlock” system
While one group went through its immersive briefing in the airlock, our teams fully reset the main play area. This carefully timed rotation maximised throughput while guaranteeing zero waiting time for participants.
FAQ: serious games for innovation management
Why does the flash format work so well for an innovation serious game?
The short format (20 minutes) is a powerful engagement lever in a corporate setting. It slots easily into employees’ diaries during a themed day or an open day. That time constraint also forces designers to focus on the essentials, guaranteeing a sharp learning message and maximum participation.
How do you make complex scientific topics accessible through play?
The key lies in turning ideas into metaphors and physical objects. Instead of explaining a research report, you create a puzzle whose solution depends on understanding a key mechanism. By handling objects and experimenting for themselves, players absorb the concepts intuitively, which improves information retention.
How do you protect R&D confidentiality in a corporate game?
A serious game is not there to expose sensitive data or trade secrets. At Arcane, we work alongside your scientific committees to isolate the broad principles of innovation (climate challenges, the main stages of a process) and translate them into gameplay, protecting your company’s competitive edge.
