How much does sound design matter?

At RECON, Troy will show us how thoughtful sound design can enhance any immersive experience, and will provide practical guidance on how to improve your audio on any budget.

About Troy

Troy Armstrong is the Director of Product Design for Great Big Game Show, where he leads the creative development of immersive, live-action game show experiences.

Troy has worked in the escape game industry since 2017 and joined The Escape Game in 2020. There he continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the sound and music identity of its award-winning experiences including The Depths, Timeliner, Cosmic Crisis [Golden Lock Award Winner 2024], Ruins, and Legend of the Yeti. He has also collaborated with clients ranging from Nickelodeon (Rugrats) and Cheetos to Disney (Mysterious Benedict Society) and Hulu (Only Murders in the Building).

Troy holds degrees in music composition from the University of Southern California (B.M.) and the University of Texas at Austin (M.M.). An active commissioned composer, his concert works have been performed across the United States, Canada, Central America, Australia, and Europe by distinguished ensembles including the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and the U.S. Navy Band.

He currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee, with his partner, Taylor, and their dog, Elly.

The post How Much Does Sound Design Matter? appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

This event creates a space to discuss and to learn about new formats of escape rooms and the future of real-life gaming.

In our talk, we’ll discuss what escape rooms can be if you’re willing to break the mold, with examples from our experiences playing around the world.

David will also be moderating a panel of industry experts.

Event Details

Play two epic large-scale games, participate in a one-day conference, and make connections.

• May 21-23, 2026
• Events in Malešov and Prague, Czechia
• Hosted by The Chamber

The large scale events are Kingdom Come: Experience, which is a 3.5-hour-long game with 10 actors, taking place at a real medieval castle, and  ChamCorp: The CyberGame for up to 200 players simultaneously, with more than 30 actors in an open-world setting of a futuristic cyberpunk Underground City.

We are excited to experience these games and meet others from the global escape room community.

The post Lisa & David Keynote the Prague Escaping Summit appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

If you live in Greater Boston, or you happen to be in town too, we hope you’ll come out to Needham, Massachusetts, on Thursday, May 14th.

We are thrilled that Midnight Mansion has offered to host this event at their venue… which means this meetup is also an opportunity to learn about the next big immersive gaming experience coming to you in Greater Boston. They’ll be happy to give you a peek behind the scenes.

This meetup is a casual gathering for escape room players, owners, and creators to mingle and chat. It’s happening on Thursday, May 14th. Mark your calendar!

Details

• Thursday, May 14, 2026
• 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM ET (drop in whenever)
• Midnight Mansion, 460 Hillside Ave. Rear Side – Lower Level. Needham Heights, MA 02494
• You can expect very short programming around 9:00 PM.

Needham is accessible by public transportation from Boston. Take the Needham Line to Needham Heights. This meetup will take place on the “warehouse” side of Midnight Mansion. Follow the directions here. Parking instructions are included.

Feel free to bring a snack or beverage to share.

Thank you to Victor and Hunter from Midnight Mansion for providing the venue!

Please RSVP.

It’s a free event, but we’d like to know how many people to expect.

Midnight Mansion

Midnight Mansion is a creative technology and fabrication studio, founded by Victor Hung (creator of Boxaroo & Level99), that builds immersive, interactive experiences by blending storytelling with custom hardware and software. Their studio facility in Needham, MA combines office with fabrication and rapid prototyping space.

They have graciously offered to host this meetup. While we are visiting, Midnight Mansion may have some games and puzzles they’re currently prototyping for their new venue, Edge of Elsewhere. If you’re feeling puzzley, they’d love for you to help playtest! No pressure. Up to you!

FAQ Answers

No, the focus of this trip is not escape rooms. It’s family. TBD if we will be playing or reviewing any games.

Yes, while we are in town, we will be attending The Wedding Party: A Mystery Dinner Experience. This experience was created by Errol Elumir and company, revised by Secret City, and is now coming to Boston, produced by Kellian and Brian of Club Drosselmeyer fame. We have tickets for Saturday, May 16th.

No, we can’t see everyone we love in this city individually on this trip. We’re sorry. But please come to the meetup so that we can hang out!

The post 👋 Boston: We’re Hosting a Meetup on May 14 appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

Well, before that event takes place, we’ll have some members of the RECON team in town in May. So, we’re hosting a meetup!

If you’re in Montreal, we’d love to see you TWICE in the next few months. You can come to this meetup and then come to RECON. Win-win!

This meetup is a casual gathering for escape room players, owners, and creators to mingle and chat. It’s happening on Sunday, May 10th. Mark your calendar!

Details

• Sunday, May 10, 2026
• Starting at 7:00pm and continuing for a few hours
• Jack Astor’s Bar & Grill Laval (1820 Аv. Pierre-Péladeau local FA01)

Jack Astor’s Bar & Grill Laval is generously hosting this meetup free of charge. Please order food and drink from the venue to support their business.

You can expect very short programming around 9:00 PM.

Please stop by at your leisure. We look forward to seeing everyone there!

Who Attends?

This event is for those interested in, passionate about, or working in escape rooms and immersive gaming… whether you live here, or just happen to be in town on May 10th.

We’re calling all owners, operators, creators, designers, technologists, bloggers, podcasters, and of course, players! This is a casual, community event to meet others with similar interests.

FAQ Answers

Yes, we will be playing escape rooms on this trip.

Yes, we will be reviewing escape rooms on this trip.

Yes, we will be playing Castle of Eternal Suffering at Sauve Qui Peut and Ctrl Alt Reboot and Escape Plan at Escaparium. (We’ve already played Magnifico.)

Yes, we will have already played all these games by the time the meetup happens. We can talk about them with you!

No, the focus of this trip is not playing and reviewing escape rooms. It’s all about getting ready for RECON.

Yes, you can come to this meetup even if you aren’t coming to RECON. (But also, you should come to RECON too!)

RSVP

Please RSVP. This is a free event, but it’s helpful to be able to give Jack Astor’s a head count.

But… RECON?

Yes, RECON is also in Laval, which is just outside of Montreal.

If you landed on this page because you’re looking for information about RECON in August 2026, here are the links:

The post 👋 Montreal: We’re Hosting a Meetup on May 10 appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

If you’ve lived in New York City (or the tri-state area) for a while, and you’ve come to these meetups many times over the years, welcome back. We’d love to see you again and hear what you’re working on, or what experience you’ve enjoyed recently.

If you’re new to New York City (or the tri-state area), please don’t be shy. Whether you’ve moved to the area since we last hosted one of these meetups, or you just happen to be in town, please stop by and introduce yourself. We’d love to get to know you.

We know there are new Patreon supporters in the area because we’ve mailed you cards, and we hope this is the perfect opportunity to meet you.

This meetup is a casual gathering for escape room players, owners, and creators to mingle and chat. It’s happening on Tuesday, April 28th. Mark your calendar!

Details

• Tuesday, April 28, 2026
• Starting at 6:00pm and continuing for a few hours
• Shades of Green Pub (125 E 15th St between Irving Pl and 3rd Ave)
• We will be congregating in the back room.

Please stop by at your leisure. We look forward to seeing everyone there!

Who Attends?

This event is for those interested in, passionate about, or working in escape rooms and immersive gaming… whether you live here, or just happen to be in town on April 28th.

We’re calling all owners, operators, creators, designers, technologists, bloggers, podcasters, and of course, players!

There is no formal programming. This is a casual, community event to meet others with similar interests.

Venue

Shades of Green Pub is generously hosting this meetup free of charge. As always, please order food and drink from the venue to support their business.

Shades of Green Pub asks that we consolidate checks. Please order per table on one tab and take advantage of Venmo, Paypal… or cash (most immersive method of payment). Note that there will be $20 credit card minimum.

RSVP

Please RSVP. This is a free event, but it’s helpful to be able to give Shades of Green a head count.

The post 👋 New York City: We’re Hosting a Meetup on April 28 appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

Can you build world class escape rooms by yourself?

Bill Dalitsikas is the founder and creative director of Lockhill, an internationally recognized horror escape room brand based in Athens, Greece. At RECON, Bill will explore his triumphs and struggles as a solo creator, providing invaluable lessons on the risk and rewards of relying too much on yourself.

Bill has faced a lot as a solo creator in one of the world’s most competitive escape room markets. For anyone in a creative field, working solo or with a large team, come take insights from Bill’s experiences to better position you to make creative decisions for your business.

About Bill

Bill Dalitsikas is the founder and creative director of Lockhill, an internationally recognized horror escape room brand based in Athens, Greece.

Over the past decade, his work has received multiple international distinctions and has been ranked among the top horror experiences worldwide, contributing to the broader conversation around narrative-driven immersive design.

Rather than refining a single formula, each new project explores a different direction for the medium. He was among the early adopters of integrating live actors as core gameplay elements and has developed continuous narrative structures and immersive introductions that begin before the first puzzle is touched.

In most of his projects, Bill has worked hands-on across disciplines, from architectural builds and puzzle systems to lighting and sound. This multidisciplinary approach grew from curiosity and necessity and continues to shape how he thinks about creation, collaboration, and long-term sustainability.

Listen to Bill on REPOD

Bill was a guest on Season 9, Episode 12: Designing for Chaos:

The post Can You Build World Class Escape Rooms by Yourself? appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

We also highlight a number of opportunities to support community projects below.

Black Light Dinner Party!

Back in January we hosted an elaborate black light dinner party and to April 1st, we turned that insanity into a cookbook. Get your Black Light Dinner Party Cookbook today by making a donation to World Central Kitchen.

A lot of love went into this project. We hope you enjoy!

Reviews

Golden Lock Winners

A Challenge from the Crafting Genius, SCRAP (Tokyo, Japan) – This game demonstrated that ingenious puzzles with basically no set can be amazingly memorable. (Reaction by Matthew Stein)

Cornstalkers: Lost In The Maize, The Escape Ventures (Orlando, Florida) – Cornstalkers is a horror game and it is The Escape Ventures most ambitious build to date – a huge step up in atmospheric immersion. (Review by Lisa Spira)

Galactic Beef: The Cosmic Adventures of Star Cow, Doldrick’s Escape Room (Kissimmee, Florida) – Galactic Beef: The Cosmic Adventures of Star Cow was the funniest escape room we’ve ever played. (Review by David Spira)

Escape Rooms

Flynn’s Arcade, Brain Games (San Pedro, California) – Flynn’s Arcade wasn’t so much an escape room inspired by Tron, as it was a love letter to the movie. (Review by Tammy McLeod)

For Queen & Country, Studio Escape (Osaka, Japan) – This game is an exhilarating spy thriller honouring the creators’ British backgrounds.” (Reaction by Matthew Stein)

Haunted Harbor, The Escape Ventures Winter Garden (Winter Garden, Florida) – We had a wonderful time experiencing the spooky spectacle of Haunted Harbor. (Review by Kurtis Rohlf)

Madame LeClaire and the Seance of Death, Studio Escape (Osaka, Japan) – This game featured an elegant approach to an escape room murder mystery. (Reaction by Matthew Stein)

Limited Run

The Hunter Exam: Battle of Wits 2026, SCRAP (City of Industry, California) – The Hunter Exam: Battle of Wits 2026 honored SCRAP’s signature style ballroom escape game while confidently trying something new. Runs until April 19, 2026. (Review by Tammy McLeod)

Podcast

PG’s Playhouse 40: Groundhog Day ft. Good Morning from Hell – Chris Demarais and Blaine Gibson, of the Good Morning from Hell podcast join us for some devilishly fun puzzles themed on Groundhog Day.

Also, David guest appeared as Jigsaw on their show, Good Morning from Hell, in the episode Jigsaw Wants To Play A Game.

Recommendation Guides

Update this month:

• Orlando, Florida
• Massachusetts
• Daily Puzzle Games

Community Information

Applications Open: 2026 Black Immersive Creators Grant – The Black Immersive Creators Grant is now accepting applications for 2026. If you’re a black immersive artist, apply today! (By Lisa Spira)

Helping friends Sarah & Sharan who are going through hell – If you have the means, please consider supporting Sarah and Sharan, long time escape room community members in need of support. Read the details or just click here to donate. Also, an auction opened yesterday, where you can bid on incredible prizes and all proceeds go directly to Sarah’s treatment. (By David Spira)

Commentary

Playing Escape Rooms: Local vs Travel – We explore how being a local escape room player differs from being a traveling escape room player. We are both. (By David Spira)

The post Best of REA: March 2026 appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

What’s an escape room business worth?

Marcelo Morales built a multi-location escape room business through acquisitions and original builds. He’ll share his perspective on the value of an escape room business and what choices you can make to increase of decrease that value.

Whether you’re looking to grow your business, or just understand how to run a healthy one, Marcelo will share lessons you can bring back to your own escape room or immersive gaming business.

About Marcelo

Marcelo is a senior project manager for an industrial production line manufacturer and a multi-location escape room owner operating approximately 18 active games across four locations under Encrypted Escape and Captured LV in PA and MD, with experience growing businesses through both acquisitions and original builds. By day, he manages multimillion-dollar industrial projects where capital planning, risk management, and execution discipline are critical. By night, he enters the realm of escape room design, construction and their finances.

He has built games, evaluated, purchased, and integrated existing escape room businesses and learned firsthand that the real challenge begins after the deal closes. Replacing aging games, funding rebuilds, managing cash flow, and maintaining guest experience often cost more than expected, even as acquisitions reduce early risk by avoiding permitting and build-out. His decisions focus on long-term profitability through disciplined reinvestment, careful use of capital, and resisting short-term growth that quietly erodes margins over time.

The post What’s an Escape Room Business Worth? appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

Gather ’round the campfire.

Location: Port Charlotte, FL

Date Played: February 14, 2026

Team Size: 2-6; we recommend 2-4

Duration: 60 minutes

Price:  from $42.99 per player for teams of 2 to $35.99 per player for teams of 4 or more

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration: This experience is not wheelchair accessible.

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

Nightfall: Creature at Camp Deadwood rounded out the lovely trio of games at The Escape Ventures Port Charlotte location, including Click & Glitch and Phantom Files. Each of these games tapped into nostalgia, with a playful take on a beloved theme. Nightfall was the spooky (but not too scary) one, taking us to a haunted campsite where an unseen creature lurked in the shadows.

Nightfall was a well-rounded game. The set and effects created an eerie atmosphere. The puzzles flowed well and solved cleanly. And the character who led us to our campsite really sold the fiction, amping up the energy, and especially elevating the end game, which balanced what was the least interesting segment gameplay-wise.

Nightfall would be a great entry point for teams of all kinds… those who like the theme and are new to escape rooms, or escape room veterans who want to try very light horror. For players like us who are neither of those, we loved how this game – like all the games at this venue – had personality and spirit.

While my favorite adventure at this venue is Phantom Files, the theme that vibed best with my tastes, I can see how any one of these games could be a given player’s favorite. If you’re anywhere near Port Charlotte, just book all three games. Each one is delightful in its own way.

Who is this for?

• Adventure seekers
• Puzzle lovers
• Cryptid fans
• Any experience level

Why play?

• For campy horror… not too scary
• The atmosphere and vibes
• Good puzzle flow

Story

There was a creature haunting Camp Deadwood. We gathered ’round the campfire to experience the tales of it… or perhaps experience more than just tales.

Setting

Our adventure began around a campfire, in a clearing in the forest, next to a camper. The lighting and scents helped set the eerie tone.

Gameplay

The Escape Ventures’ Nightfall: Creature at Camp Deadwood was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.

Core gameplay revolved around searching, observing, making connections, and solving puzzles. While it was lightly horror, it was never scary enough as to make the gameplay extra challenging.

Analysis

 At The Escape Venture’s Port Charlotte location, each game is introduced by a character who makes appearances throughout the experience. The performer who hosted Nightfall for our group brought an energy and passion that elevated the game.

 Nightfall felt bigger than it was. The Escape Ventures made it feel like a menacing creature controlled the place, even without one ever being physically present. They disrupted the set just enough to make the space feel inhabited.

 The set was more than just the visual elements. The Escape Ventures lit up this campground through sounds, scents, special effects.

 The gameplay was well-clued, with good flow, in part from excellent lock-mapping. We always knew where to input a solution. We also appreciated how The Escape Ventures blurred long, extraneous text to keep it from being a red herring.

 There was opportunity for gating in one scene with low light. We spent a lot of time struggling to solve in the dark, when solving a different puzzle first would have given us more light.

We weren’t sure whether to take the menace at Camp Deadwood seriously. Our in-game character clearly took it very seriously, but its in-game visual representation didn’t feel threatening, and didn’t fit with the hold it had over the camp. Nightfall: Creature at Camp Deadwood was approachable horror, and by lightening up on the scare-creature, it’s possible to make the experience more silly parody than horror experience. This game would be fun either way, but we felt some dissonance between how our in-game character felt, and how we thought the game wanted us to feel.

/ We loved the stakes of the finale, and the in-world actions we took to keep ourselves safe. It was dramatic. That said, this scene had the least interesting puzzles, making it a weak finale from a gameplay standpoint.

Tips For Visiting

• There is a parking lot.

Book your hour with The Escape Ventures’ Nightfall: Creature at Camp Deadwood, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: The Escape Ventures provided a complimentary game.

Check out our conversation with Curtis Ratliff and Derek Townsley, founders of The Escape Ventures, on the Reality Escape Pod.

The post The Escape Ventures – Nightfall: Creature at Camp Deadwood [Review] appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

This grant will provide $10k to a stellar Black artist to help them create the immersive art of their dreams.

If you’re a Black immersive artist, we hope you’ll consider applying. If you know anyone who would be a good fit, please share this with them.

Applications will close on Thursday April 23rd, 2026 at 12am (midnight) Pacific Time.

About The Black Immersive Creators Grant

The Black Immersive Creators Grant is a cash award of $10,000 for US-based Black artists who are interested in creating immersive artwork.

The goal of this grant is to amplify Black voices in the immersive community.

The recipients of this grant are Black-identifying creators who demonstrate a passion for creating immersive work. Whether they have an existing portfolio or not, create only immersive work or create this art in addition to other work and life priorities, this grant aids the cultivation and growth of inspired immersive art by Black creators to broaden and encourage diversity in the industry.

Applications Are Open!

Applications will close on Thursday April 23rd, 2026 at 12am (midnight) Pacific Time.

This award is for the production of a new original immersive project, or a new sequel or enhancement to an existing project. Completed projects and/ or previously-released projects are not eligible. The project must be able to be experienced by an individual in the United States. The project may be in-person, remote, virtual, and/ or site-specific and it must be presented to an audience within 12 months of receiving the award.

Learn more about the eligibility criteria and selection criteria here.

Fully Funded

Thank you to everyone who has already donated to this grant. The grant is fully funded for 2026!

The grant will launch donations for the next cycle soon. Stay tuned.

Inspire Me

Full Disclosure: David and I are members of the Board for the Black Immersive Creators Grant. It’s important to us that the immersive entertainment industry (including escape rooms) is welcoming to creators of all kinds, and that together we strive for more representation.

Being on the board has been incredible. Reading and evaluating the applications the last three years has been an eye-opening experience for me. I learned so much about different genres of immersive entertainment and about different culture. The applications were truly incredible. Read about the past winners here.

I’m so excited to read the applications that come in over the next month. If you’re eligible, please don’t miss this opportunity to apply.

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