In this episode, Jeroen van Hasselt, co-creator of Demise of the Grisers, joins us again, and we talk about escape room waivers in the USA versus Europe, discuss some of the clever design choices in Demise of the Grisers, and David talks about trying to balance mystery versus consent, and what it means for game design and safety. In this preview of…

“It’s entertainment to experience the emotion of fear.” I creep out from the relative safety of the control center. Keeping to the shadows, I stealthily make the journey through an abandoned train yard. Somewhere in the sprawling tangle of train cars, a gricer is hunting me and my team. I complete my mission, and immediately I hear the clang of foo…

In this Patreon exclusive Bonus Show, Brooke Breit joins us again to talk more Jackbox Games. We talk about takeaways from party games that escape room designers should consider and she also gives us some recommendations for her favorite puzzley video games. In this preview, we talk about why defective mechanics are difficult to incorporate in esca…

“We set players up to be the stars of the show.” We’ve gathered a group of 4-6 players to try some collaborative games with mechanics that appeal to a wide variety of skills. These games are hilarious and we emerge feeling smart and witty. No, I’m not talking about the latest escape rooms. We have just finished a session of Jackbox Games. Jackbox G…

In this clip, we talk about David's adventures in solving the beautiful and tiny titanium jigsaw puzzles of Lazels. These things are incredibly cool. If you enjoy these previews, I hope you’ll consider joining our Patreon. For only $5 a month, you’ll get access to our Bonus Aftershow, where we continually release new episodes, even in our REPOD off…

“User Centric Design” If you asked me to list some of the skills a good escape room designer should possess, it would look extremely similar to Robert ‘Fro’ Myers’ resume. With a background in theater set design, and a degree from MIT in mechanical engineering, it’s little wonder that David calls Fro’s escape room company Boxaroo “a total package c…

Escape from Godot is a wildly experimental experience that's half escape room and half theatrical show. This is an event that asks a lot of everyone involved. The multiple actors must be word-perfect. The guests must figure out when to be a passive audience and when it's time to become an active player. In this clip, Andy and Jeff Crocker of Mr & M…

In this clip, we talk with magician David Kwong about social media videos that reveal the secrets behind magic tricks and the implications for the future of the art. If you enjoy these previews, I hope you’ll consider joining our Patreon. For only $5 a month, you’ll get access to our Bonus Aftershow, where we continually release new episodes, even …

“Storytelling is really what sells the magic trick.” When David Kwong was a young child, a magician performing at a pumpkin patch fooled his father with a classic magic trick. From that moment, he knew he wanted to be a magician. He has since performed worldwide as an acclaimed magician and even consulted on many movies and TV shows like Now You Se…

In this Bonus Show Preview, Elan Lee, CEO of Exploding Kittens, joins us again for a conversation about Taskmaster, growing as a leader, and he gives us an exclusive scoop on the Survivor card game he's developing alongside Jeff Probst. In this sneak preview, he tells us the origin story of Poetry for Neanderthals, one of my favorite games from Exp…

“We don’t just make entertaining games. We make the people you’re playing with more entertaining.” “Do you want to play again?” This is the only question Elan Lee asks when playtesting his games. Millions of people have answered yes, which explains why the Exploding Kittens games have dominated the best seller lists for almost a decade. Elan has no…

"Incredible from the minute you walk in." While we’re in off-season for the podcast, we still continue to produce episodes of our Bonus Aftershow for Patreon Supporters. This summer, we decided to go all-in reporting on our escape room adventures abroad. Nothing excites me more than journeying to far off places in search of delicious foods, wondrou…

Season 8 is coming very soon. In the meantime, Peih-Gee was recently interviewed for episode 100 of Brentfast with Brent Pope: "Brent sits down with the delightful and witty Peih-Gee Law, best known for appearing on Survivor (two different times!) and co-hosting the Reality Escape Pod! They discuss: Growing up Asian in the 90's, being on 2 differen…

In this clip, Brian Corbitt - game designer of Treasure Island at Brain Games in San Pedro, California - talks about the original, unused plan for the finale puzzle and why he decided against it. Brian is most well known for the raunchy, actor driven game Miss Jezebel, and he also talks about how that game completely changed his design philosophy. …

In celebration of RECON LA, we are releasing our Bonus Show with Michael Borys. We hope that you enjoy and consider subscribing. https://www.patreon.com/roomescapeartist In this episode, David & Peih-Gee were joined by guest Michael Borys, creator of The 49 Boxes. David share stories about his own pool hustling days and educates everyone on how to …

"Why is there blacklight from the killer helping me?" We groggily wake up in a dingy bathroom. It's creepy and dark with an ominous sense of dread. Our kidnapper comes on the screen and explains what will happen to us. "I am also an escape room enthusiast and a horror fanatic. Therefore, I built a horror themed escape room. You are about to experie…

To sleep, perchance to dream… Sleep No More, the seminal immersive theater piece from Punchdrunk, has inspired countless immersive creators, including Haley and Cameron Cooper of Strange Bird Immersive. Haley and Cameron make no secret that it has heavily influenced their acclaimed escape room The Man From Beyond. When we heard that Punchdrunk woul…

There's a reason Los Angeles is known as the City of Dreams. It's a town populated with dreamers and makers. They concoct fantasy worlds filled with quirky characters, dashing heroes, and tormented villains. Oftentimes, the backdrop of Southern California serves as inspiration itself, with its wide sandy beaches, snowy mountaintops, and the desolat…

In April, David and Peih-Gee were guests for two episodes of The Infinite Escape Room, a comedy puzzle show where a group of pals sit down, have a drink, and work together to solve an audio escape room. This time around, they needed to escape a giant, flaming wicker man, and all sorts of silliness ensued. The game episode is now available on the Re…

We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus Show from S7E12 with Tommy Wallach and Terry Pettigrew-Rolapp of Hatch Escape. In this clip, Terry talks about the qualities that intrigue him the most when playing Escape Rooms and how Immersia and Escaparium, located in Montreal, Canada, fit the bill. Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show n…

"Where Terry and I live is between games and theater." If you ask any escape room enthusiast to recommend a must-play game in Los Angeles, you'll hear about Lab Rat. When it first opened in 2018, it was ranked #8 in the world on the TERPECA list. It has maintained a ranking in the top 100 games ever since, which is no small feat. Hatch Escapes' hig…

We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S7E11 with Noah Nelson of No Proscenium. In this clip, Noah and David discussed the exposition dump and why writers should prioritize the audience's relationship with the characters first and foremost. Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.c…

“I have irrational exuberance about the future of immersive.” Whether you work in the immersive theater space, or have more than a passing interest in the immersive arts, chances are you’ve seen Noah Nelson at an immersive event, or listened to his coverage of it on the No Proscenium podcast. Or maybe you’ve read about it on their weekly newsletter…

This is a teaser from this month's Spoilers Club. David Spira & Peih-Gee Law take a deep dive into iconic or impactful escape rooms. The creators join us to share exclusive behind the scenes, commentary and insights about their games. This month explored Stay in the Dark; a remarkably enormous game of cat and mouse played through a five story aband…

We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S7E10. In this clip. David and Lee-Fay Low discuss the art of crafting a great convention talk and what they look for in speakers at RECON. Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over …

“It's remarkable what happens when you stop practicing and spend a little bit of time teaching people.“ Do you own an escape room? Do you have a skillset that applies to immersive gaming experiences, such as game designer, prop maker, or tech expert? Are you an aspiring escape room creator? Are you an escape room enthusiast looking to take a deep d…

We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S7E9. In this clip, co-host Peih-Gee Law talks about rat park, a psychological experiment run by Dr. Bruce Alexander in the seventies, and the impact of creating connections through play. Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapea…

"I think being silly is really important." Playing pretend together is powerful stuff, and Andy Crocker knows this better than anyone. If you’ve experienced heartfelt shenanigans at Ghost Town Alive, or exchanged thrilling secrets in the engineering room aboard Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser, chances are you’ve come across Andy’s work. As an Immers…

We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S7E8. In this clip, co-hosts David Spira and Peih-Gee Law talk about Activate and Time Mission, which are both different types of challenge arcades. Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library…

“We always want to make something that we haven't seen before.” There are few companies who have been as influential in the escape room scene as Cross Roads Escape Games. Not only are all their games highly polished with brilliant puzzles, gorgeous sets, and fun interactions, they’re also creatively experimental. The owners, Luke and Madison Rhoade…

We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S7E7 with Michael Borys, creators of The 49 Boxes. In this clip. Michael tells us the story behind one of his most prized possessions and interactive sculptural Van Gogh head. Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to…

"There's absolutely no difference between Magic and the Magical." We shuffle slowly into the basement, careful not to bump into anything. This is harder than seems, because everywhere we turn, there are boxes and objects. Collections of items are spotlit, dust motes dancing in the air. Curious, we split up and start exploring. In one hidden nook, t…

We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S7E6 with Al and Stacy Delcome, creators of Confusion Escapes in San Bernardino, California. In this clip, Peih-Gee talks about playing her first jubensha, the larp-like murder mystery experience popularized in China. Content Warning: Please be warned that this segment does discuss…

"A delightful dream world" Imagine walking up to the lobby of an escape room, only to be confronted by an enormous semi-truck that has smashed through one of the walls. Maybe you’re climbing up a massive, sprawling tree and ducking into the treehouse of your childhood dreams. Local favorite Confusion Escapes engineer all their games to maximize fun…

We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S7E5 with Blake Hodges-Koch & Thomas Meston, creators of Wild Heart Ranch outside of Joshua Tree, California. In this clip, we talk about Blake & Thomas' initial fear of seasoned escape room players finding Wild Heart Ranch and why David loving refers to a group of escape room play…

“The most Myst-like experience I have had in real life” You arrive at the Airbnb, ready for a fun-filled weekend with your loved ones. The ranch is gorgeously furnished with mid-century modern touches. Outside, the desert stretches off into the distance. You wander in after a soak in the hot tub and find a little piece of paper that says "Start Her…

We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S7E4 with Jason & Marketa Richard, creators of Steal and Escape in San Diego, California. In this clip, we talk about making escape room merch and making content for social media. Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist an…

"Our love language is building together." “High on fun” is how David introduces the games at Steal and Escape, and that’s exactly how I felt after playing their creative and unique games. From popsicles to hilarious assessment tests, and challenges that gave me Survivor PTSD, the games created by husband-and-wife team Jason and Marketa Richard are …

We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S7E3 with Brett Jackson, creator of Imagi-Ne’er-Do-Wells. Brett talks about the need to consider the guests emotional safety, and how to be considerate in your experience design. Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and…

Your palms are sweaty, but your body is filled with exhilaration. You’re still coming down off the high of pitching your ludicrous idea on stage to a room filled with your peers. Thunderous applause, whistles, and exuberant cheers fill your ears. You walk off, clutching your squashed penny prize. An hour ago, you walked in, nervous as hell, with no…

We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S7E2 with Jared Butler, owner of Wasteland Weekend and Neotropolis. In this preview, Peih-Gee talks about some of the escape room-esque features of Neotropolis, and Jared discusses how the bars work. He also shared his dreams for the future of the event. Listen to the rest of the B…

"The desert adds an incredible layer of realism that you're never gonna get in any polished one hour experience." You’ve been driving through the desert for miles. It’s nighttime, and you've seen nothing but scrub brush and rocks for a while. Suddenly, emerging from the darkness is the glimmer of lights… neon lights, and as you get closer you hear …

We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S7E1 with The Ministry of Peculiarities. In this preview, David tells a story about an unexpected guest at an early escape room tour. Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 60 bon…

To sleep, perchance to dream... Sleep No More, the seminal immersive theater piece from Punchdrunk, has inspired countless immersive creators, including Haley and Cameron Cooper of Strange Bird Immersive. Haley and Cameron make no secret that it has heavily influenced their acclaimed escape room The Man From Beyond. When we heard that Punchdrunk wo…

"Quirkiness is a core value." In Season 7, Episode 1, we chat with Adam Moody, Jonathan Berk, and Benjamin Berk, the creators of The Ministry of Peculiarities in Azusa, California. Their first full-length game, Hope End, established their quirky brand of escape room, elegantly mixing story, puzzles, and adventure into one of Southern California’s p…

"This episode is brought to you by language that has fallen outta favor in the last century." We're putting the "celeb" in celebrate! Play along as we test each other's wits with games, puzzles, and trivia, all themed around Los Angeles, the home for this year's Reality Escape Convention. In keeping with the theme, Season 7 of REPOD will feature gu…

"Why did it have to be snakes?" "Since we started this podcast, I have been talking repeatedly about my desire for there to be more lower budget, experimental, thought provoking, and thoughtful productions." David calls this game "the black box theatre" of escape rooms, while REA Patron Dan Egnor called it "the best room in the world in awesomeness…

“For new listeners, we hope it will be a great introduction to what the podcast is all about, and for our regular listeners, a reminder of the most interesting and impactful moments from Season 6.” Already missing REPOD? Don’t worry, Season 7 of the podcast is launching very soon. In the meantime, our editor, Steve Ewing, put together some of his f…

"We are so excited that a publishing company is using the medium of puzzles... to promote a book." The only thing I like better than puzzles is winning money while solving puzzles. Who Killed Ickey? is an online treasure hunt taking place January 27, 2024 with prizes worth $50,000. In this special release sponsored episode, we sat down with the Who…

"One of my favorite things about Spoilers Club is getting to hear about those tiny little details that the designers sneak into their games." One of the things I love about playing escape rooms is that post-game discussion where we get to analyze everything that happened during the game. We can talk about all of our favorite puzzles, things that wo…