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Reality Escape Pod – Escape Rooms & Immersive Games — Games
Reality Escape Pod – Escape Rooms & Immersive Games

A Room Escape Artist Production

In a world gone digital, doing things in person is strangely revolutionary.

Reality Escape Pod is an interview podcast diving deep with people who make the world’s best immersive games and experiences: ARGs, puzzle hunts, tabletop games, theme parks, and of course, escape rooms. Our aim is to bring together different segments of the gaming world to share ideas between them.

Hosts David Spira & Peih-Gee Law explore immersive gaming from all angles with a unique blend of curiosity, joy, and a deep appreciation of craft. Each episode explores the guest’s philosophy, design approach, and humanity.

About the hosts:

David Spira is an experience designer, co-founder of RoomEscapeArtist.com and Reality Escape Convention. He is the escape room industry’s most prolific leader. In 2014 he applied his professional skills as a digital experience designer to the burgeoning industry of escape rooms, and more than a decade later he has built a community for its creators and consumers.

Peih-Gee Law is most well known for being a fan favorite contestant on the reality show Survivor, where she played first in Survivor China in 2007, and again in a returning All-Star season Survivor Second Chance. In 2025, she launched PG’s Playhouse, a fun podcast with brainteasers, puzzles, and trivia. She is also on the official story team for Neotropolis, an annual 5 day immersive cyberpunk festival, where she creates narrative driven gameplay and experiences for thousands of attendees.

Copyright: © Copyright 2021 Room Escape Artist

Latest Episodes:

Comedy & Collaboration: Brooke Breit, Creative Director at Jackbox Games (S8E4) Oct 21, 2024

Show notes

“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 Games are games for large groups of people who can participate via personal devices, no controllers needed. They offer a wide variety of gaming styles, including drawing games, trivia, presentation style games, and other types that encourage creativity and humor.

Brook Breit is a creative director at Jackbox Games, and she joins us to talk about their game development cycle, including theme selection, prototyping, the importance of humor, and prioritizing player engagement. She is also a veteran improv performer with stints at Second City and Hello From the Magic Tavern. Jackbox Games tend to reward creative brainstorming, and Brooke talks to us about how improv training has helped with both creating and playing party games.

Brooke shares insights into Jackbox Games' philosophy of creating social, humor-filled party games that facilitate connection and engagement. I would love to see more escape rooms embrace the party game philosophy that winning is secondary to having a good time.

Full Show Notes

Episode Sponsors

Thank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, & COGS by Clockwork Dog:

Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.

Morty News:

Morty now features haunt attractions
Morty for Android is here

Special Badge for REPOD listeners:

You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).

Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.

COGS

COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.

Production Credits

Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law

Produced by Theresa Piazza

Supported by Lisa Spira

Edited by Steve Ewing

Music by Ryan Elder

Logo by Janine Pracht

Solving the Titanium Jigsaw Puzzles of Lazels (Bonus Show Preview) Oct 17, 2024

Show notes

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-season.

The User-Centric Design of Boxaroo with Fro Myers (REPOD S8E3) Oct 14, 2024

Show notes

“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 company.”

Boxaroo's creations encompass a wide variety of both theme and play structure. Whether it's escape rooms, digital puzzle hunts, or massive ballroom games, they all follow the approach of designing around the player’s journey. In this episode, Fro goes into detail about their “user centric” design process, which starts with mapping out the emotional arc of the player during the escape room.

Something unique Boxaroo offers their players is their stats. After playing a game, the team receives a printout tracking their stats in the game. The nerd in me deeply appreciates the chance to see my score percentile. I really enjoyed hearing Fro talk about his design process and how much consideration they put into not only the player's experience, but also their game masters' experience, especially when it comes to simplifying the reset. Check out this episode for a look into a mechanical engineer’s approach to designing escape rooms.

Full Show Notes

Episode Sponsors

Thank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, & COGS by Clockwork Dog:

Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.

Morty News:

Morty now features haunt attractions
Morty for Android is here

Special Badge for REPOD listeners:

You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).

Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.

COGS

COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.

Production Credits

Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law

Produced by Theresa Piazza

Supported by Lisa Spira

Edited by Steve Ewing

Music by Ryan Elder

Logo by Janine Pracht

Escape from Godot's onboarding (Spoilers Club Preview) Oct 11, 2024

Show notes

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 & Mischief joins us and we talk about the intentionality of their design decisions. In this clip, they talk about their onboarding process for Escape from Godot.

You can find the rest of this Spoilers Club episode by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/roomescapeartist.

Magic, Social Media, & the Future of the Art with David Kwong (Bonus Show Preview) Oct 11, 2024

Show notes

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 in our REPOD off-season.

Puzzles & Prestidigitation: Magician David Kwong (REPOD S8E2) Oct 07, 2024

Show notes

“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 See Me and After Party. Fast forward to today, David Kwong has written a book for every kid who ever wanted to fool their parents.

In this episode of REPOD, David Kwong talks to us about life not only as a magician, but also as a “cruciverbalist” (crossword puzzle constructor). In fact, his signature trick involves him performing intense mental gymnastics on stage while creating a seemingly impossible crossword puzzle together with the audience.

“I realized that taking these things that I love, magic and puzzles and word games, and fusing them together could cross pollinate and synthesize into something new.”

His new book, How to Fool Your Parents, not only teaches kids how to perform the magic, but it also teaches showmanship. He tells us that “storytelling is really what sells the magic trick,” and in the book, he helps kids make the trick their own. I love escape rooms that make me feel smart, and David Kwong’s magic is designed to do exactly that.

Full Show Notes

Episode Sponsors

Thank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, & COGS by Clockwork Dog:

Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.

Morty News:

Morty now features haunt attractions
Morty for Android is here

Special Badge for REPOD listeners:

You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).

Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.

COGS

COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.

Production Credits

Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law

Produced by Theresa Piazza

Supported by Lisa Spira

Edited by Steve Ewing

Music by Ryan Elder

Logo by Janine Pracht

Elan Lee on designing Poetry For Neanderthals (Bonus Show Preview) Oct 04, 2024

Show notes

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 Exploding Kittens.

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-season.

Exploding Onto Netflix: Elan Lee (S8E1) Sep 30, 2024

Show notes

“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 now set his sights on conquering the world of entertainment beyond board games, starting with a namesake animated Netflix show.

Elan Lee was the very first guest on REPOD, way back on Season 1, Episode 1. Then, he shared his philosophy on game design and all the cool projects he’s worked on. In this follow up episode, we dig a little deeper into his design process. I especially enjoyed hearing about how he playtests games, as well as his philosophy when it comes to writing game instructions. He also talks about creating a new line of games for younger children with his daughter, and this segment is really delightful, with insight into how to design for little ones.

Elan creates party games that make the players entertaining. Escape rooms essentially do the same thing by casting their players into the hero role. Elan was really generous in sharing all the elements of his design process with us. Give this episode a listen if you’re interested in applying the Exploding Kittens game philosophy to your experience design of any kind.

Episode Sponsors

Thank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, & COGS by Clockwork Dog:

Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.

Morty News:

Morty now features haunt attractions
Morty for Android is here

Special Badge for REPOD listeners:

You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).

Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.

COGS

COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.

Production Credits

Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law

Produced by Theresa Piazza

Supported by Lisa Spira

Edited by Steve Ewing

Music by Ryan Elder

Logo by Janine Pracht

REPOD Special Release: Escape Room Adventures Bonus Preview Sep 23, 2024

Show notes

"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, wondrous sights, and of course, renowned escape rooms. David and I separately made trips to Spain, Belgium, and London to play as many escape rooms as we could cram in.

We cover David’s escape room trip to Spain with a breakdown of all the escape rooms he played. In the July episode, I take a deep dive into my experience at Neotropolis. For the August episode, we compare notes on our separate trips to Belgium and the games we played, and I report back on immersive experiences in London, including Phantom Peak and Viola's Room, the new production from Punchdrunk.

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-season.

How to Listen

When you support Room Escape Artist on Patreon at $5 per month (or above), you get access to the Bonus Show.

https://www.patreon.com/roomescapeartist

Episode Sponsors

Thank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, & RECON, the Reality Escape Convention:

Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.

Morty News:

Morty now features haunt attractions
Morty for Android is here

Special Badge for REPOD listeners:

You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).

Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.

COGS

COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.

Production Credits

Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law

Produced by Theresa Piazza

Supported by Lisa Spira

Edited by Peih-Gee Law

Music by Ryan Elder

Logo by Janine Pracht

Peih-Gee Law on Brentfast, Episode 100 Sep 18, 2024

Show notes

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 different seasons of Survivor, the allure of escape rooms, and their Brentfast meal from Bamboo Bistro!"

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