Virtual murder mystery team building for remote teams in 2022/2023

At Gomada, we’re all about creating consistent, immersive, and engaging experiences at work. Sometimes this focuses on a specific skill, like communication. At other times it can cater to certain groups, like your IT department or your C-suite.

And then there are the times that all you really need is a chance for your team to kick back, relax, and bond together. 

When that happens, you want a quality virtual team building exercise that can capture everyone’s attention and draw them into a collective experience. You want the kind of mesmerizing encounter you can only have through a virtual murder mystery team building event. For some professional help, check out our list of team building apps.

The ultimate list of virtual team building murder mystery games

Virtual Zoom games are great, but virtual murdering mystery team building can be really fun …if you do it right. Of course, the whole “virtual” part can be a bit of a barrier to an immersive experience. The challenge is finding the right murder mystery online team building activities that work for your group.

Here are some of our top recommendations for the best virtual murder mystery team building options out there. 

We’ve collected them into 3 categories: 

• DIY virtual murder mystery game team building
• Detective team building games by the uber professionals
• Off-beat murder mystery virtual team building ideas

Within these categories, we break down each idea, what it’s like, and what kind of event, group size, and circumstances it is best suited for so your team has a killer time together.

Let the mysteries begin…

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DIY virtual murder mystery game team building

If you have a tight budget, you aren’t sure about the whole “murder mystery at work” idea, or you’re a boss that just loves running these things yourself, here are some great DIY options to get you started.

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Recommendation: Before starting your murder mystery game, get everyone warmed up with an ice breaker game, or two!

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1.  Take a trip Way out West

Price: $0 - $30

Best for: Free virtual murder mystery team building.

If you’re not sure how the whole virtual murdering mystery games for team building idea will work for your group, Way out West is a good starting point. The period piece experience features an exciting story that takes place on the West Coast of the U.S. in 1884.

The game is from FreeForm Games and is available as a free team building game for groups of 10 or less. If you have up to 24 people, you can still buy it for a very reasonable $30.

Keep in mind that this is a downloadable version of an actual in-person game. As the host, you’ll need to put in some leg work to organize the game by:

• Purchasing the download.
• Going through the instructions.
• Making sure everyone has a digital copy of what they need.
• Hosting a conference call using a platform like Veertly.
• Running the game.

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2.  Survive a Zombie Cannibal Asylum

Price: $40

Best for: Bigger groups.

Playing With Murder’s Zombie Cannibal Asylum offers a fun twist on the murder mystery concept. The game comes in a downloadable format that includes audio files and sports a story that combines popular zombie horror with a traditional whodunnit storyline.

The thriller is great for bigger groups, too. The standard version accommodates up to 32 people. However, you can also purchase an expanded version that includes as many as 100 participants. This makes it a great choice for larger events, especially for a team building option that typically caters to smaller groups. If your team enjoys this game, they might also enjoy survival simulation team building activities.

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3.  Disrupt the holidays Ho Ho Homicide style

Price: $50

Best for: Holidays and special events.

You can kill two birds with one stone when you use your murder mystery game team building as a holiday or work party activity. There are many options that violently incorporate holiday themes into the mix.

For instance, Ho Ho Homicide can add a dash of bloody razzle-dazzle to your next Christmas party. It plays into the classic holiday stress levels, pitting Elf against Elf in a magical struggle of murderous mystery. 

Of course, you don’t have to stop with Christmas. Many murder mystery themes also go well with other holidays, especially Halloween — no duh.

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Check out the video below if you want to organize a DIY virtual murder mystery team building party but don't quite know where to start.

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Detective team building games by the uber professionals

Cobbling together your own team building murder mystery virtual experience can be fun. If you want your time to be more effective, though, you may need to invest some cash into taking the event to a professional level.

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4.  Let an actor run the show with Murder Mystery Company

Price: Individual quotes

Best for: Truly immersive entertainment.

The team at Murder Mystery Company knows what it takes to put on an elite murder mystery team building activity. That’s why they put a huge emphasis on doing all of the hosting and creating a truly stress-free time for both you and your team.

They don’t just help with the logistics, either. They also hire professional actors to run each event, creating a genuinely engaging experience.

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5.  Take things up a notch with Wild Goose

Price: $15 per person or an annual pass for $1,300

Best for: A more refined and detailed experience.

If you’re looking for a thorough team building murder mystery game, Wild Goose may have the answer. The company’s virtual murder mysteries utilize augmented reality through things like interactive evidence and witness cards.

They also incorporate time pressures into each game — adding a sense of predictability to the scheduling end of things and keeping each event within reasonable time boundaries.

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6.  Get family-friendly with Watson Adventures

Price: Individual quotes

Best for: A slightly different murder mystery format.

If you’re looking for something off the beaten path but still professional, consider signing up for a murder mystery event with Watson Adventures. The company’s events come with live Zoom hosts that provide a sleek, professional event experience.

You can also pick Watson Adventures, designed for more of a scavenger hunt format. This virtual clue team building experience can be great for a less murderous theme — and can even be a great “bring your kids to work” virtual option.

Off-beat murder mystery virtual team building ideas

If you find your team isn’t into the overly structured stuff, that’s okay. There are plenty of alternative options that play off the same horror-laced ideas. Here are a few team building games for any workplace that keep the suspense alive without the need for a full-blown murder mystery party.

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7. Solve crimes on your phones with Whodunnit

Price: Free (with in-app purchases)

Best for: Mobile-friendly play.

Mobile-friendly options make life so much easier. In the case of Whodunnit, all the host needs to do is:

1. Download the app.
2. Set up a theme and add details about your group.
3. Invite everyone and oversee the sketchy proceedings.

All you need your team to do is download the game, join your party, and have some in-app fun solving crimes together.

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8.  Watch Edgar Allen Poe’s Murder Mystery Dinner Party

Price: Free

Best for: A less intense but still fun group experience.

Sometimes your group loves mysteries, but they don’t enjoy all of the dressing up and getting into character. If that’s the case, you can spend some time watching Edgar Allen Poe’s Murder Mystery Dinner Party together.

The YouTube miniseries is a high-quality, low-budget experience that pits many of history’s finest murder-prone authors against one another. It even features a character played by Jim O’Heir (known for his role as Jerry Gergich on Parks and Rec). If you want a bit more action in your team building, this list of games for team building should do the trick.

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9.  Play a good, old-fashioned round of Clue together …online

Price: $4 per person

Best for: A more structured mystery gaming experience.

Sometimes the work that goes into a full-blown murder mystery is too much. Hasbro’s classic whodunnit, Clue, is a great way to keep the good times rolling with minimal need to invest in the experience. All you need to do is:

• Have your team download the app.
• Ask teams of up to 6 people to log on to each game.
• Play until you find the murderer!

This brings a more organized board game element to the murder mystery concept. At the same time, it’s still a great way for your team to kick back and relax together.

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Murder mystery team building: virtual edition

Like virtual escape rooms or puzzle solving activities, murder mysteries are great ways to help your team engage, problem solve, and generally have a fun time as you solve crimes together under pressure.

There are many different ways to utilize this team building tool — even if you oversee a remote team. The online murder mystery team building concept can include professional services, mobile devices, and even board game alternatives. 

All you need to do is find an option that works for your team, and you’ll be on your way to becoming true detectives in no time.

Murder mystery FAQs

Murder mysteries may be all fun and games, but they can also come with some hefty questions — and we’re not just talking about plot twists in the story. If you’re a leader, here are a handful of the most common inquiries that might come up when you go to set up a murder mystery team building event for your team:

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How long does it take to run a murder mystery team building event?

Most of the options on this list take between 1 and 2 hours. Keep in mind that you’ll also want to plan on an extra 15 minutes on either side of the event to get your group ready and debrief.

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What are the benefits of murder mystery team building?

Participating in murder mysteries as a group provides the opportunity to:

• Bond as a team sharing a common experience.
• Practice communication as a group and learn about one another’s personal communication styles.
• Have a truly interactive and engaging team building event that can adapt to various remote work environments.

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What’s the best size for a virtual murder mystery event?

Usually, the murder mystery option is ideal for smaller groups of between 4 and 8 people. However, some versions, like the Zombie Cannibal Asylum option in the list, can accommodate much larger groups.