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November 5, 2026
The Ultimate Guide to McKinsey Imbellus:
What You Need to Know to Ace the Solve Game
The last updates on the Imbellus Game from McKinsey
I’m going to be honest with you—when I first heard about the McKinsey Imbellus game, I thought it sounded really weird.
A video game that could decide your entire consulting career? That seemed way too wild.
But here is the truth: thousands of people take this test every year, and some of them absolutely crush it. The difference between passing and failing usually comes down to one thing—understanding what the game is actually testing and what McKinsey is looking for.
Let me walk you through everything you need to know about the McKinsey Imbellus test, so that you can do the assessment feeling confident instead of terrified, and increase your chances of landing a role at McKinsey.
Do You Want To Play The McKinsey Game In Advance?
Have a look at the McKinsey Solve simulation I created, including constant updates to the very last version of the game and essential tips to excel in every part of the game. You will have lifetime access to the simulation, so that you can practice without constraints.
And as proof that it works, you will get a 60-day, 100% money-back guarantee, as indicated here. This is the ONLY simulation in the market offering such a guarantee.
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🔽 NEXT: The most up-to-date overview of the McKinsey Solve Game for 2026, including all key information (Part 1 of 2) 👇
What Is Imbellus, McKinsey’s Game, Anyway?
The McKinsey Imbellus game is basically McKinsey’s version of a job interview, except you are playing video game scenarios instead of answering interview questions. It’s also called the McKinsey Problem Solving Game, the Solve game, or the McKinsey Digital Assessment.
McKinsey & Company partnered with a company called Imbellus (now owned by Roblox) to create something completely different—the game-based assessment you see today.
This test is now the first step in their hiring process to recruit talent.
The whole thing takes 95 minutes in its latest version, and it has three different mini-games you need to complete.
A Quick History: How We Got Here
Let me give you some quick background on why McKinsey created this assessment in the first place. For decades, McKinsey used a more traditional test called the McKinsey PST, or McKinsey Problem Solving Test, which was basically a bunch of multiple-choice questions testing your math and logic skills. It worked for a while, but McKinsey realized it was testing one specific thing: how well you could solve problems you had seen before or that fit predictable patterns.
The real problem with the old test was that it rewarded memorization and pattern recognition way too much. Coaching centers basically figured out every possible question type and sold study guides to candidates with money, which meant smart people without access to expensive prep could get left behind. McKinsey wanted something fairer and more predictive of actual consulting work.
Enter the Imbellus game, which debuted in 2017 as a pilot program. The assessment was designed to be much harder to game—you couldn’t just memorize answers or recognize patterns because every scenario was different and constantly changing. By 2020, during the pandemic, the McKinsey recruitment process changed and it was rolled out globally as their new standard screening tool. In 2022, they rebranded it as “Solve,” but most people still call it Imbellus, which is what you will hear in coaching communities and prep materials.
The game is set on an island and the questions are related to a natural environment as an attempt to make it neutral with respect to business knowledge. While this holds true, you still need to master basic math as part of the two current games, Redrock and Sea Wolf. Instead of answering multiple-choice questions, you will have to perform a series of different tasks, in a setting much more similar to a game than a traditional test.
The Five Skills McKinsey Imbellus Actually Tests
Here is what most people don’t realize: Imbellus isn’t testing what you know about business or the environment or anything like that. It’s testing how you think, your decision-making under pressure, and how you approach problems.
The test tracks everything—every click, every pause, every time you go back to recheck something. McKinsey evaluates that information to score you on five different skills related to your strategic thinking and logical reasoning. The Imbellus is designed to test your skills in those five specific areas.
Critical thinking is the first one. This is basically your ability to look at a bunch of information and figure out what actually matters. The McKinsey test throws tons of data at you, and your job is to figure out which pieces are important and which ones are just noise.
Decision-making is exactly what it sounds like. After you’ve analyzed the information, can you actually make a good choice? McKinsey wants to see that you can weigh different options and pick the best one, even when you’re stressed and running out of time.
Metacognition is fancy talk for “thinking about how you think.” It means you understand your own strategy and can adjust it when something isn’t working. If you try one approach and it fails, can you learn from that and try something different?
Situational awareness means you can pay attention to the environment around you and predict what might happen next. In the game, this means noticing patterns and understanding how different parts of the system affect each other.
Systems thinking is about understanding how everything connects. If you add one microbe to the current set of two, what happens to your microbe combinations? If you change one variable, what else changes as a result?
In our 222-page PDF guide, available for free with our Solve course, we explain in detail each of them, and what you can do to improve your skills in each area
The Three Games You Will Play in the McKinsey Assessment Game
McKinsey puts you through two different games, and each one tests different skills. Let me break down what you’re actually dealing with and the format of the McKinsey Imbellus as of today.
The Redrock Study (or Redrock Island game) is quite similar to traditional McKinsey work. You’re analyzing data about wolves and elk on an island, and you have to answer questions about what’s happening and what it means.
The game gives you lots of information—some useful, some not—and you need to figure out which facts matter. Then you use the calculator to do some math computations and fill in a report. This tests your critical thinking and your ability to filter through noise to find what’s important.
Redrock is divided into four phases: the Investigation phase, the Analysis phase, the Report phase, and the Case section (with six cases in total).
You have 35 minutes for this game, and it feels more like actual consulting work than the other games.
Sea Wolf is the newer game, and honestly, it’s a little confusing at first. In this new part of the McKinsey Solve game, your job is to clean up the ocean by picking microbes that can reduce pollution while surviving in different ocean sites.
You have to categorize microbes based on their characteristics and then pick the right three microbes for each site. There are specific rules and criteria about which traits and attributes matter, and you lose points if you don’t match them correctly. The Sea Wolf game tests your decision-making and your ability to work through a system of rules quickly.
This game lasts 30 minutes in its last version.
This article includes a deep dive into the McKinsey Sea Wolf game, with screenshots showing the actual interface.
The Sustainable Futures Lab (also called the Sustainable Future Lab, or SFL) is the third and newest game, and it feels nothing like the other two. There is no math and no calculator. Instead, you are the Team Leader of a research lab, and you have to run a project with your team over three simulated days.
The game gives you only a little information at a time, so you need to decide which questions are worth asking. Then you place your team members on workstations and deal with the problems they bring you. This tests your judgment: how you set priorities, decide with incomplete information, and handle your team and stakeholders.
The game starts with Onboarding, where you rank 4 questions about the project. Then each day has the same four stages: Explore (2–3 questions to your team members or workstations), Assign (who works where, with a reason for each move), Support (pick the best response to a team member’s problem), and Reflect (rate how each team member is feeling).
This game lasts 30 minutes in its new version (the old version lasted 20 minutes), and everything is click-based: you rank, drag, or choose from options.
This article includes a deep dive into the new Sustainable Futures Lab, with each stage explained step by step.
Other games like plant defense, disaster management, disease management, and migration management are now no longer used. The Ecosystem game (also called ecosystem building game) is also not present in the 95-minute version of the game, which include only Redrock, Sea Wolf and Sustainable Futures Lab.
How to Prepare for the McKinsey PSG Without Going Crazy
McKinsey says you don’t need to prepare for Solve. However, there are definitely ways to increase your score with the right practice. Preparation for the McKinsey Solve game is a bit different from that for standard quantitative tests, though.
A good starting point for preparing for the real test is to review the most up-to-date material on the game, which simulates the actual experience of the McKinsey assessment.
On the homepage of our site, you can currently find free resources to prepare for the case section of McKinsey Redrock. This is a good starting point for your preparation to improve your accuracy and your data interpretation skills.
If you want to prepare further, our course provides a complete explanation of every section of the game, with 35 videos of the game plus a 230-page PDF guide, a Sea Wolf excel solver, the Redrock questions asked in the past and 10 drills for the case part of Redrock.
The best way to prepare for the McKinsey PSG assessment is to practice with real simulations, so you understand what the games feel like and how you perform under pressure. Ideally, you want to practice with simulations with a clear answer key, like the one we provide here, which can act as a benchmark for your answers.
Start by playing through one simulation for each game just to see what you’re dealing with. This gives you a feel for the interface and the time pressure without the stakes feeling too high.
I recommend playing through at least two or three Redrock and Sea Wolf simulations under real-time pressure so you know how you handle stress. Most candidates who pass the McKinsey Solve game play the games a few times before they take the test. After a few simulations, you pretty much know everything you’re going to learn from practice.
Process and Results Are Both Key in the McKinsey Game
McKinsey doesn’t just care about whether you got the right answer and the accuracy of your final results. They care about how you got there.
The system tracks your mouse movements, how long you spend on different parts of the game, whether you go back and check your work, and how organized your approach is. This behavior analysis is called “process score,” and it may matter as much as the final answer.
You could have the right final answer but get it by randomly clicking around, and your process score would be terrible. On the flip side, you could make a small mistake in your final answer but show really organized, logical thinking, and still do pretty well overall.
This is why leveraging the Research Journal in Redrock correctly, knowing the right strategy to pass Sea Wolf, and spending your few Explore questions wisely in the Sustainable Futures Lab actually helps. It shows that you’re thinking systematically and with good decision-making skills, not just clicking around hoping something works. When McKinsey’s algorithm reviews your gameplay, they see that you planned your approach instead of just winging it.
Our 35-video series covers all the relevant strategies of the game and, unlike unproven theory that you can find on YouTube, they are backed by thousands of data points from users who took our course. We provide a 100% money-back guarantee with our course in case someone doesn’t pass the test; hence, we have a clear incentive to offer only the best strategies that actually work.
Do You Want To Be Ready For The McKinsey Game?
Have a look at my McKinsey PSG video simulation, where I go through each step and share the tips and strategies to beat the Solve game.
There is also an optional full playable simulation of the game available as an add-on if you want to bring your prep to the next level by practicing on the game before test day.
Furthermore, this is the ONLY McKinsey Solve game simulation on the market with a 60-day, 100% money-back guarantee!
Click on the link below to learn more about the McKinsey Solve game walkthrough.
89% Success Rate • 400+ 5-Star Reviews • 100% Money-Back Guarantee
🔽 NEXT: Learn more about common Solve game mistakes, what happens after the game, and find answers to the most common Solve questions (Part 2 of 2) 👇
Red Flags: Common Mistakes That Tank Your Score in the McKinsey Imbellus Game
I’ve seen people make the same mistakes over and over from McKinsey applicants. Below are some of the most common.
First mistake: not organizing your Research Journal well. Because the game also assesses how you arrive at the final result, it is important to stay organized during Redrock.
Second mistake: practicing only easy Sea Wolf scenarios (where you can get 100% score results). When you practice, gradually increase the difficulty. Start with simple scenarios where you can get the maximum score. This progressive difficulty is how your brain actually learns and adapts. Our simulations ensure that you cover scenarios with 60%, 80%, and 100% as the maximum possible score, covering all the options of the actual game.
Third mistake: treating each day of the Sustainable Futures Lab as a fresh start. The in-game Notes reset every day, but the project story carries on, so what you learned on Day 1 still matters on Day 3. Keep a pen and paper next to you and write down who said what and how they sounded, because you will need it in the Reflect stage. With our course, we include a full playable simulation of the new 30-minute Sustainable Futures Lab, so you can practice keeping track of your team before the real test.
What Happens Next If You Pass the McKinsey Problem Solving Game
If you crush the Imbellus game, congratulations—but that’s not the end of the story. You’ll get invited to the next round of the interview process, which is usually a video or in-person interview with a McKinsey consultant.
This isn’t another game—it’s a real case interview where you’ll talk through a business problem with an actual person. They will ask you about a company or client that needs to solve a problem, and your job is to figure out what’s going on and what they should do about it.
The good news is that if you’ve been practicing your problem-solving skills for the Imbellus assessment, you’re already prepared for case interviews in a lot of ways. Both of them test your ability to break down a complicated situation, find the important information, and make a logical recommendation.
After that, you will have another round of interviews, and if everything goes well, you could be looking at an offer and starting your career at McKinsey. The whole recruitment process takes a few months from application to offer, so patience is key.
FAQ: Your Imbellus Questions Answered
1. Can I fail the Imbellus game?
Yes, and honestly, a lot of people do. Only about 20-30% of candidates pass, so it’s not easy.
The good news is that failing doesn’t mean you’re not smart enough to be a consultant—it usually just means you weren’t familiar with the game format and didn’t practice enough.
2. How important is the McKinsey Solve test compared to my resume and GPA?
Quite important. It’s a primary screening mechanism, so your Imbellus score is weighted heavily. This is why, despite a strong resume, many candidates fail the McKinsey Solve game—they simply don’t prepare enough for it.
That said, McKinsey looks at your total application, so strong scores elsewhere can help offset a moderate Imbellus performance.
3. Can I use a calculator?
Yes. The game actually provides a calculator for you to use during the Redrock section. We also recommend using an Excel solver for the Sea Wolf game, which is included for free with our course and is the perfect math tool for that game.
4. What if I get stuck on one part?
Honestly, sometimes you just have to move on. If you spend twenty minutes trying to figure out the perfect answer for one of the Redrock case questions, you’re going to run out of time for everything else.
It’s better to find something that works and move forward than to waste all your time trying to find the perfect solution.
5. Is there a way to prepare for the online test?
You can definitely prepare by understanding the right strategy to follow.
On our homepage, you can find free resources to improve your score in the Redrock case part, which will help you to master the numerical part of the Redrock section. In our full course, we explain the best strategy for each game in 35 videos. Additionally, if you want to completely master the McKinsey game, you can add the simulations to play each game in advance.
By following the tips in the course, you won’t need to prepare with quantitative tests or any other resources.
6. Can I use an external mouse or keyboard?
Yes, and honestly, I recommend it. Your laptop trackpad will slow you down, and a regular mouse and keyboard will feel more comfortable, especially if you’re used to working that way.
7. What if I have a disability and need accommodations?
McKinsey is genuinely committed to making this accessible for everyone. If you need extra time, specific software, or any other kind of accommodation, let them know when you schedule your test. They will work with you to make it happen.
8. How do I actually schedule the test?
Once McKinsey invites you to take the Imbellus game assessment, they’ll send you a link and instructions. You can check the system requirements and then pick a time that works for you—make sure you’re in a quiet place with a good internet connection, and then you just log in and play.
Make sure you have at least two hours blocked off so you’re not rushed. In the email with the invitation to play the game, you will also find the contacts of the McKinsey recruiters responsible for your office in case you have additional questions.
9. What happens if my internet cuts out in the middle?
Contact McKinsey’s technical support team right away—there’s actually an email address they give you for exactly this situation. They’re pretty understanding about technical problems that are beyond your control, but it is a good idea to report it immediately.
10. Should I hire a coach to help me prepare?
Honest answer? Not necessarily. A good coach can help you understand the mechanics and give you feedback on your thinking process, which is valuable. But you don’t need a coach to score well—focused self-study works too. Choose a coach if you want guidance and accountability, not because you think you can’t do it alone.
Are You Ready to Play the McKinsey Solve Game?
I hope you are now well-equipped with a good overview and the right strategies to pass the Solve game and get a McKinsey interview.
If you want to go the extra mile with your preparation, have a look at my full video simulation, which comes with $400 in bonus materials, including a 230-page PDF guide, an Excel solver for the Sea Wolf to quickly find the final three microbes, 8 sets of past Redrock Analysis questions, 10 Redrock case question drills, a 62-page industry cheat sheet for your consulting case preparation and a free McKinsey Sustainable Futures Lab simulation. With the Combo, you can walk through each step of the games and be sure you know everything about the Solve test.
Plus, now you can also play the Redrock and Sea Wolf games if you want! I have created for you a complete simulation of both games with unlimited usage which you can add to the Combo 😉
We have 600+ 5-star reviews for the guide, which you can verify on Trustpilot and PrepLounge .
Ah yes, and you will also get a 100% money-back guarantee if you don’t pass within 60 days . Just send me the email indicating the test rejection or the test decile showing you are not in the top score quartile, and I will refund the course.
The only reason I can offer this is because I know the course works and you will pass the McKinsey Digital Assessment and move to the case interview stage.
This is why you can be sure that this Combo is the best resource to pass the McKinsey game.
Right now, I have an 89% success rate (if you come across comparable claims: ask them why they don’t offer a full guarantee ;)).
Click here to access the course immediately and join the hundreds of successful candidates I have helped and who got offers from McKinsey.
Any questions? Drop me a message in the chat at the bottom-right and I will reply within 12 hours.
Master the McKinsey Game
I have designed the ULTIMATE guide to pass the McKinsey Digital Assessment. With this, you will learn EVERYTHING you need to MASTER the McKinsey Problem Solving Game!
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Anonymous
Verified Customer I was very satisfied with the course and its overall structure. Before taking it, I had little idea of what to expect from the McKinsey Solve or how to approach the different games. The course provided a clear understanding of the assessment format a...
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Chad
Verified Customer Would recommend - I thought this may be a scam, but tried anyways. Turns out its very helpful! I did not realize the intensity of the Solve game, so getting through this material beforehand definitely helped me prepare. The material is pretty spot o...
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Marcello
Verified CustomerGreat course: precise and clear through each step of. Makes candidates feel comfortable in facing selections!
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Anonymous
Verified Customerdid not pass
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User friendly. Watching videos gave me a better idea of what to expect and useful tips for solve.
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