Military strategists played war games long before businesses borrowed the idea. Ancient generals moved pieces on a board to test battle strategies. The Prussian military refined the concept in the 19th century, using sand tables to simulate battles, training officers to anticipate their enemies. It worked. Their success in the 1870 Franco-Prussian War was credited in part to these exercises.
Today, corporate leaders use a similar approach—not to win wars, but to outmaneuver competitors.
Business war gaming is strategy in motion. It’s a simulation where executives role-play competitors, customers, and market forces to stress-test their decisions. Instead of reacting to disruption, they anticipate it. Instead of guessing how competitors might respond, they act as their competitors and make decisions accordingly.
How It Works
A team is divided into groups, each representing a key player in the market—their own company, competitors, new entrants, or even regulators. They’re given a starting scenario: a market shift, a crisis, or a bold new competitor shaking up the industry. Over multiple rounds, teams make strategic moves, reacting to decisions made by others and external market forces.
Some war games focus on competitive positioning—what happens if a rival launches a new pricing model or enters a new region? Others test internal strategies—what if leadership pushes for a pivot, an acquisition, or a major restructuring? Each decision has consequences, revealing blind spots and exposing assumptions that might not hold in the real world.
Why Companies Play War Games
War gaming forces leaders to think beyond their own biases. It’s easy to believe your company has the best product or that competitors will react predictably. But stepping into their shoes changes the perspective. It also uncovers hidden risks and opportunities—a marketing campaign that seemed foolproof might collapse under competitive pressure. A pricing model that worked in theory might backfire when tested against aggressive rivals.
Major corporations have used war gaming for years. Sterling Pharmaceutical famously ran a simulation in 1993, correctly predicting how competitors would react to their drug launch. They adjusted their strategy in advance and avoided a costly misstep. More recently, tech giants have used war games to prepare for regulatory challenges, consumer behavior shifts, and competitive threats from startups.
Strategy Quest’s Approach
At Strategy Quest, we take war gaming further. Participants don’t just role-play competitors—they experience the full complexity of strategic decision-making in real time. In our simulation, teams navigate a dynamic corporate environment, facing shifting market conditions, internal challenges, and unexpected disruptions. Every decision shapes the trajectory of their company.
Each session is fast, intense, and high-stakes—because in the real world, strategy isn’t just about planning. It’s about adapting, persuading, and staying ahead. Are you ready to compete before the competition begins?
