Tic-tac-toe was the first game ever developed for G4C package. The reason was very situational. We needed a game that is easy to play and a game that everybody knows the rules. The practical need was that we had very little time to brief in the game and we decided to choose a game that everyone knows already.
The question
But when developing other games, the question arose. Why would anybody play tic-tac-toe? If both parties know the strategy the outcome is always a draw. Strategically it is easy and with limited amount of possibilities. So at some stage when we had some other games we decided to remove tic-tac-toe.
And instantly got a feedback from several users who were using it in their events. We reinstated the tic-tac-toe as fast as we could. And learned why some of the users are using tic-tac-toe in their events. So here are few reasons why such a simple game might be a good idea for your event.
Spoiler alert - all the reasons come down to two core reasons - ” it is simple and everybody knows it”, but there is one extra.
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Because everybody knows the game it minimizes the confusion. One aspect of any game is that in order to enjoy it, you need to learn it first. So if you already know how to play it, you can start enjoying it right away.
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Because people know the rules you need to spend less time (or not time at all) in explaining what is going to happen. You will use time efficiently - even if you win seconds it will sum up if there are hundreds or even thousands of players
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Because there are so few strategic options, it is easier to play. So you as a player are not overwhelmed by all the choices you could make. Large event and quick game is usually not geared towards strategic thinking.
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The first round with many people of different knowledge levels is not as easy as it might feel when sitting behind computer. Strategic mistakeas are happening as every step is voting. If some players know how to win, they might not be able to carry the plan through because others do not get the plan.
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It is great first step to more complicated games. People know the rules of tic-tac-toe and they learn the process easily. Then when you go to 4-in-a-row game then players are accustomed to the process already and can focus on mastering the game.
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And last, but not least - it is not about the game at all. It is about communicating with your team-members. If you have a winning strategy then how do you get your message to your team members. Where are the team-members anyway? Do you get them together to discuss? How do you align people who are scattered in a room and acting individually?
I guess there is something in the old simple game after all.