Online Escape Rooms: The Next Big Thing
The pandemic has brought the world to a standstill. People spend their days trapped within their homes toiling away at their jobs and chores. A federal emergency hotline for people in distress has registered a 1000% increase compared to last year. This new lifestyle has had a massive impact on people's routines. It's even shifted their entertainment preferences to suit the current situation.
What have people been doing to entertain themselves?
The entertainment preferences of people have drastically conformed to their confining lifestyles. People have been consuming digital media and games at a gargantuan rate ever since quarantine came into effect.
Movies/Series
Video streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+ have seen over 113% rise in number of average users since the lockdown, though these numbers have started to dwindle down.
Digital Games
With gaming become excessively accessible as more and more studios release the mobile versions of games, online gaming has seen a mammoth surge of 76% during these times.
Board Games
The once family night special has become lot more of a common occurrence these days. Families spend time together playing card and board games like Monopoly, UNO and Never Have I Ever.
YouTube
The YouTube streaming time has skyrocketed during the quarantine as it crosses over 32 billion minutes of streaming time in the first week of April compared to the 15 billion minutes recorded during the same weeks last year!
These entertainment options fail to give people a sense of adventure. They simply manage to keep people occupied but fall short in providing a holistic experience. There's only so many videos and movies someone can binge before their mind gets saturated with the repetitive content.
As per the latest survey by International Labour Organisation, a UN agency, half of the world's youth is subject to depression and more than one-third are uncertain about their future due to the pandemic. These people are in dire need of an escape to release their frustrations and the traditional entertainment options fails to provide that escape to them.
They give you no control over the experience, basically, you watch what you get. These constraints have led to online media consumption numbers declining. People grow weary with the same old experiences and crave for something interactive, meaningful and with a real sense of triumph to pull them out of their slump.
Online Escape Rooms: A new generation of interactive entertainment
The pandemic has made all the traditional entertainment options antiquated out of necessity. This has left people yearning for a fun and engaging experience that doesn't compromise their well being. Online escape rooms have brought about a new age of digital entertainment and given people just that! The reviews construe players being captivated by the unique take on the beloved concept.
Essentially, online escape rooms are the digitally live streamed versions of their traditional counterparts. They walk the perfect line between a real and a virtual experience ensuring that the players are completely engaged in the storyline but from the comfort of their homes. This makes them the perfect fit for the current situation.
They incorporate the live video feed being streamed to the players straight from the escape room and the players directly guiding live actors present in the room to interact with the set pieces in their stead.
What differentiates Online Escape Rooms from other entertainment options?
People love binging movies and series but after a little while they tend to become monotonous, and once done with a season you have no choice but to wait for the next one!
"This was an amazing experience! My expectations were greatly exceeded with this escape room. The puzzles were challenging, they were unique, and the theme was immersive even though it was remote. This is a fantastic virtual escape room that deserves recognition."Drumsguy (Villians Lair)
Games on the other hand fail to provide a very holistic experience. They don't really help players develop any social skills and can lead to an unhealthy lifestyle in times like these. They're also limited by the platform constraints that can hinder the multiplayer experience.
The whole premise of online escape rooms is to engage the players and give them control over the situation which makes the experience captivating and rewarding. And with new brands making their experiences available online, the catalogue of online escape rooms is growing rapidly!
How to participate in one?
Indulging in online escape rooms is effortless. The players connect with each other and the escape room venue using video conferencing apps such as zoom and google meet. The process is as simple as putting together your team and joining the live stream.
According to some players, participating in an online escape rooms is even easier than booking an experience in their traditional counterparts!
Don't miss out on social events!
Don't we all miss celebrating special days with our friends and family? And in the current scenario, online escape rooms act as a great alternative setting for social events. People have been missing out on social events, birthday parties, anniversaries and even fun corporate events!
Online escape rooms provide the perfect platform for birthday parties. People love hosting birthday parties on online escape rooms as it allows them to revel with their loved ones on the special day no matter how far they are.
Online escape rooms are a great way for people to get together and enjoy each others company while celebrating special occasions. They give people a familiar experience resembling their beloved escape rooms from the comfort and safety of their homes.
Perfect for corporate team building events
With most of the employees working from home and being confined all day, online escape games gives companies the perfect medium to help their employees let off some steam and learn new skills at the same time.
Online Escape Rooms aren't just fun and games, they also provide a multitude of benefits to the players. They not only help people relieve stress but enhance their leadership skills and teamwork as well. That's the reason why many of the largest conglomerates opt for escape rooms to host their team building events.
Like their traditional counterparts, online escape rooms are a great way to work on ones leadership and communication skills. They facilitate teamwork efforts and assist the players to work in cooperation.
