You can take a look at any site that publishes escape game news and find at least one article explaining why escape rooms are so popular among adults. There are countless theories circulating about the whys and wherefores underlying this phenomenon, so let’s take a look at the most plausible ones.
We are pleased to see that escape rooms around the world have undergone a spectacular evolution since their appearance. Not only are the puzzles more and more imaginative, but escape room designers are paying more and more attention to the atmosphere. The scenery is becoming lifelike and we can tinker with countless rotatable, pushable, usable, glowing gadgets and accessories. The creators of these escape rooms do their best to make the situation as authentic as possible, and this is where the first possible explanation comes in regarding the unbroken popularity of escape rooms: they are basically real-life video games, in which you can play through a similar experience in a physical form. The uniqueness of escape rooms lies precisely in the fact that they are able to realistically display situations known from the world of video games.
While the video game interpretation may hold its own, escape rooms are also popular with those who are not into gaming. Another theory may provide a broader explanation for why the atmosphere of an escape room can captivate everyone. According to this one, there is no stronger desire in man than to break away from the real world at times—and there are psychological reasons behind this ancient urge. The human mind tends to prepare, imagine, practice different situations, so that they cannot come as a surprise in real life.
The playful situations created by escape rooms provide an opportunity to face tasks that surely have a solution in the close vicinity and to test our problem-solving abilities in a safe environment. You might say that escape rooms are good for our self-confidence, problem-solving skills, mental health, and last but not least, they reinforce our trust in others.
There is an innate curiosity in all of us - we’ve all imagined living another person’s life or living in another world. It’s also an innate instinct. Solving mysteries, discovering the unknown, gaining new experiences are all essential parts of the human experience. In this respect, escape rooms satisfy us because there is no need for any kind of special knowledge; common sense is ought to be enough. It is important to experience that we can trust our own abilities, even if we can’t prepare for an upcoming challenge.
To sum it up, adults love games too. And if an explanation is required as to why we *HAVE TO* try yet another escape room, let’s just say that it’s for our mental well-being.