Escape Rooms You Can Play With Friends in Different Places

Life has a habit of scattering the people you love. University mates end up at opposite ends of the country, family spreads across different cities, and before you know it the group chat has quietly taken the place of the pub. Here's the good bit, though: you can still get everyone laughing together in the same room, even when that room only happens to live on a screen. An escape room with friends online is one of the easiest ways we know to do exactly that.

Rather than wrestling everyone's calendars into a trip away, you each settle in wherever you happen to be, jump on a video call, and solve a clever mystery together. No travel. No babysitter to sort. No venue to book. Just an hour of puzzles, in-jokes and that brilliant moment when someone finally cracks the code you've all been squinting at.

How an online escape room with friends works

It's a simple setup. One of you buys the game, you all hop on a video call, and you work through the puzzles and clues together until you escape. The whole thing runs in a browser, so there's nothing to download or install. It plays on a laptop, tablet, phone or desktop, and it kicks off the second you're ready.

Because our rooms live online, distance stops getting in the way. Your friend in Glasgow, your cousin in Cardiff and you in Bristol can all be in the same adventure at the same time. You talk clues out loud, point out the thing everyone else has walked straight past, and share the thinking so nobody gets left stuck. It feels much more like a night in together than a quiz, and it's a lovely way to actually catch up while you play.

Step one: pick your game and your night

Settle on a date that works for the group, then get one person to browse our escape rooms and pick something that suits your lot. There are nine to choose from, from gentle mysteries to the trickier stuff, so you can match the difficulty to how competitive (or how relaxed) your friends are feeling. And because you buy once and replay forever, you can run the same game again with a different bunch another time.

Step two: get everyone on a video call

Start a Zoom call and drop the link in your group chat. Think of it as your virtual living room: the spot where you chat, throw out theories and celebrate. Get everyone to join on a device where they can comfortably see faces and natter, then leave that call running for the whole session. The chat is half the fun, so please don't all mute yourselves into silence.

Step three: choose how you'll see the game

You've got two easy options here, and both work a treat.

• One person shares their screen. The host opens the game and uses Zoom's screen-share so everyone sees the same thing at once. The host clicks where the group tells them to, a bit like the designated driver for the mouse. It keeps everyone perfectly in step, and it's spot on for less techy groups.
• Everyone follows along on their own screen. Each person opens the game separately while staying on the call. You all explore at your own pace, then shout out what you've found. This suits puzzle-hungry groups who like to poke about in different corners at once.

There's no wrong answer. Loads of groups start out screen-sharing and switch to playing along once they've found their feet.

Do you all need to buy the game?

Nope. One purchase covers your whole group. As long as everyone can see the game, whether that's a shared screen or following along, a single £8.99 game is all you need for the session. That makes it dead easy to gift, too. One person sorts it, everyone enjoys it, and nobody's left chasing the others for their share.

Perfect for reunions and long-distance friendships

This kind of game comes into its own when getting together in person just isn't on the cards. A few moments where an online escape room earns its keep:

• Old friends in different cities. Get the group back together without anyone booking a train. You end up with a proper shared activity, not the usual "so, how's work?" small talk.
• Family across the country. Bring siblings, cousins and parents together for something a bit more memorable than a phone catch-up.
• Friends abroad. Time zones allowing, distance is no barrier. Someone overseas can join the same adventure as everyone back home.
• Birthdays and celebrations. A fun, low-faff way to mark the occasion when you can't all be in one place.

It's also a kind way to include people who find big nights out tiring or hard to get to. Everyone takes part from somewhere they feel comfortable, so the friend who always has to slip off early can finally stay for the whole thing.

Tips for a smooth, sociable session

A little planning goes a long way. Here's how we keep things running happily:

1. Test your setup early. Open Zoom and the game a few minutes before kick-off, so you're not fiddling with settings while everyone waits.
2. Pick a clear host. If you're screen-sharing, decide who's driving so there's no fumbling at the start.
3. Talk out loud. Say what you're seeing and what you're thinking. Half the puzzles get solved because someone else spots the link you missed.
4. Use a second device for the call. If the host is screen-sharing the game on a laptop, joining the Zoom call on a phone or tablet as well means everyone can still see faces.
5. Take your time. There's no rush. The point is to enjoy the company as much as the challenge.

Playing as a bigger group

Bigger crews work a treat too, you just spread the thinking around. With six or more of you, screen-sharing tends to keep everyone on the same page, while little breakaway chats can take on individual puzzles and report back. If you're organising for a sizeable group, a team event or a club, our group bookings can help you sort the details so the night runs without a hitch.

Since 2020, more than 30,000 players have used our games to stay close across the miles, and the format keeps proving itself for friends who refuse to let a bit of distance get in the way. With a video call, a single game and a willing group, you've got everything you need for a proper night in together, wherever "together" happens to be.