Escape Games: A New Game For People Who Like Clues, Not For Folks Who Hate Being Locked In Rooms [Video]

There’s a new game in town — or games, as it were — and they are called escape games. On Instagram, the “escape games” hashtag has grown to more than 3,300 posts about the new game that challenges folks to find clues that will get them out of rooms they’re locked within.

According to KMTV, escape games are a new trend that allows those who like to use logical games put those skills to good use by finding their way out of locked rooms — hence, the need to escape. Folks who like board games or puzzles that force people to use their brains in a logical manner might love these escape games.

The so-called escape games are popping up all across the nation — and even the world. As reported by the Guardian, escape games aren’t for people who are claustrophobic or hate being in enclosed spaces.

That’s because escape games necessitate players being locked in a room or rooms, and they are given a time limit to “escape” from the room before they are playfully killed, trapped in prison, or embarrassed. Of course, these aren’t real-life fates — they simply encourage the escape game players to get together and brainstorm with their game mates in order to find clues to get out of there.

Not only are escape games popular, escape games are a big money-maker, reports Market Watch. Apparently there’s something players of escape games like about being locked in a room with 10 others and looking on the walls and at items scattered around the room for clues of how to escape.

Escape games have exploded around the globe, going from none in 2010 to approximately 2,000 escape game locations in 2015.

In 2013, the CEO of Puzzle Break out of the Pacific Northwest put $7,000 into his escape games location and is now poised to gross more than $600,000 in 2015.

The business that began out of online games has transitioned well into real-life escape rooms around the world. From Japan to the UK to cities in the United States like Milwaukee, Des Moines, and Oklahoma City, escape games have seen success. With a model that includes part dinner theater, part adventure, escape games offer something unique for partygoers or bachelor party attendees.

As reported by the Inquisitr, besides the escape games hashtag going viral on Instagram, other Instagram hashtags such as IIFYM — which stands for “if it fits your macros” and is really popular with bodybuilding folks — have also gained steam.

[Andrej Isakovic/Getty Images]