People are constantly looking for new forms of entertainment. But in a world where virtual reality and increasingly powerful computer games are capturing our attention, there are some new forms of entertainment that are more traditional in nature — and more fun.
Escape rooms provide a fun, physical, puzzle-solving form of entertainment — and they have taken the world by storm. Here’s a look at how they have grown in recent years.
UK Escape Rooms
A few years ago, you could count the number of escape rooms in the UK on one hand.
Now, there are hundreds of them right across the country from escape room Portsmouth to Glasgow.
According to recent statistics, in 2018, there were 1,139 escape rooms in the UK, which were spread over 415 venues. More recent stats from 2019 suggest there are now nearly 1,500 escape rooms in Britain.
It’s difficult to say with certainty how many escape rooms there are, but it’s clear that there are lots.
The number of escape rooms available to play in is also increasing at a rapid rate. The number has increased by 42% in just one year, showing that the appetite for escape rooms is still very much increasing.
Escape Rooms in the United States
But the growth of escape rooms is not a phenomenon limited to the UK. They are increasing in number all over the world, including in the United States.
In August 2019, according to these stats, there were 2,350 escape rooms in the United States. That’s 50 more than the previous year, and this suggests that the industry is now maturing.
Escape Room World Championships
There is now even an Escape Room World Championships, showing just how popular the escape room scene is.
This event in 2019 was held by Red Bull in Shoreditch, and it was the first of its kind. It involved teams of four from 23 countries, showing that it is a phenomenon that has taken the whole world by storm.
Escape Room Movies
There are even movies about escape rooms now. One of the biggest movies, called ‘Escape Room’, was released in 2019. A sequel, ‘Escape Room 2’, is planned for 2020.
More Themed Rooms Are Appearing
One of the great things about escape rooms is that there are so many different scenarios to play in. From outer space to prison cells and fantasy landscapes, escape rooms are limited only by the imagination.
One of the biggest trends to appear recently is the rise of themed escape rooms like Doctor Who escape rooms and Sherlock escape rooms, and more themed rooms are likely to be created as escape rooms become even more popular.
Time to Explore the World of Escape Rooms?
If you have yet to visit your first escape room, now is a great time to do so. There are so many to choose from, including amazing immersive experiences for any type of group, whether you want to take on the room with your friends, family or work colleagues.
So find one near you today and get involved.
Escape Rooms Are Getting Bigger and Bigger
One thing about escape rooms is certain: they are not going anywhere.
The growth in the number of escape rooms around the world over the last few years has been meteoric. But this is still a very new trend.
Over the coming years, we are certain to see many more escape rooms appear, including increasingly creative rooms and those with even more ingenious puzzles to solve. So they will be keeping escape room fanatics happy for a long time to come.
