Escapes from locked cells have been present in literature and films as long as we can remember. But a real escape game has only been known for barely ten years.

 

Escape rooms are so young that it’s a mystery why someone hasn’t thought of them before. The history of this entertainment trend begun “only” in 2006. A few internet sources contribute the first place to people from the Silicon Valley who were inspired by videogames and Agatha Christie novels.

 

“Solid” escape rooms were however created in Asia. Apparently the first to think of them was a Japanese magazine publisher in 2007. In China the newspapers wrote that the game became popular for stressed students and young overwhelmed workers- an escape from routine. Maybe that’s also what the American president Obama needed when he finished his term in the office, when he finished the Hawaii Escape room “Escape from Waikiki” only twelve seconds before the end of the limit.

 

A legend of this escape entertainment is the Hungarian entrepreneur Attila Gyurkovics who as the first person began to work with this concept in Europe. Thanks to him Budapest overtook even London and Jack the Ripper. Nowadays Attila owns a dozen of Escape rooms in different countries and he claims to never have heard of the similar Asian games.

 

After all a few escape brand names are also developing here in Slovakia- and Questum is still the biggest. In the US the subject was taken over by TV and you can even watch the game of teams locked in a room for example in the show Race to Escape.

 

And finally, do you remember the French TV show Fort Boyard? It was broadcasted before 2000 and it also had a Slovak version. There were various historic and mystical references, a lot of riddles and puzzles, teamwork was oftentimes required, the time was set and they were constantly looking for keys and the way out. Look it up on Youtube, nostalgia. And notice how all the tasks and game equipment resemble the contemporary escape rooms.