Escape This, an Australian escape room provider, has welcomed 500,000 players and is now expanding beyond its home state into new markets.
Escape This, an Australian escape room operator, has reached a significant milestone by welcoming over 500,000 players since its inception. Founded in Perth in 2020 by siblings Bernie and Daniel Janes, the company is not only celebrating this achievement but is also expanding its presence beyond Western Australia.
The company’s growth trajectory has been impressive, considering it launched less than a year after an equity crowdfunding campaign that raised $1.4 million from 357 investors. During this period, it has expanded from four venues in Perth and Sydney, serving 370,000 guests, to five venues and 500,000 players overall.
Turning Milestones into Experiences
According to Bernie Janes, reaching half a million players is a substantial moment for Escape This. “The number is exciting, but what sits behind it is half a million people choosing to spend a birthday, date night, family outing, or work event inside a world we created. That’s pretty special,” he expressed. This sentiment highlights the importance of creating not just a game, but a memorable experience that resonates with players.
Emphasizing customer satisfaction, Escape This has earned over 15,000 five-star reviews, which Janes attributes to the company's focus on immersion and storytelling. “One visit might put you aboard a pirate ship; the next might drop you into a murder mystery or a zombie outbreak,” he explained. Such variety boosts repeat visits and word-of-mouth marketing, integral to their growth strategy. Customers are searching for genuine escapism, where they can disconnect from reality for an hour, and this ethos is central to the brand.
Expanding into Competitive Markets
The recent opening of Escape This’ first Melbourne venue at 259 Collins Street is a noteworthy step as the company ventures into its third Australian state. The newly launched venue currently features three escape experiences, with plans to introduce a fourth on August 28 and a fifth by September 11. By the end of the year, the facility aims to offer a total of 12 unique experiences, making it the largest escape room venue by experience count in Victoria.
Janes acknowledges that Melbourne presents a unique challenge. “Melbournians already understand and love escape rooms, and the market is highly competitive. We’re not introducing people to the category – we have to convince an experienced audience that we offer something genuinely different,” he said. This approach to market entry is a crucial lesson for entrepreneurs: understanding your audience and differentiating your product or service in a crowded marketplace can often make the difference between success and failure.
Strategy for Continued Growth
Looking ahead, Escape This plans to expand further into Queensland and South Australia. Janes indicates that the next few years will focus on a combination of expansion and reinvestment, with new venues and experiences rolling out while maintaining the high standards that existing customers appreciate. “The goal is not only to become bigger – it is to keep raising the standard as we grow,” he affirmed.
Janes also emphasizes the significance of owning the process behind their escapism. Unlike franchises or licensing agreements, Escape This develops every experience in-house at its production facility in Perth. This control allows for an integrated and consistent quality across the company’s offerings, from storytelling to gameplay mechanics to physical sets and technology design. Keeping production in-house can be a strategic advantage for startups wishing to maintain quality and brand integrity as they grow.
Final Thoughts
As Escape This continues to evolve, it serves as an example for other startups by showing how focused dedication to quality, with a commitment to creating engaging experiences, can lead to substantial player numbers and exciting growth opportunities. The company’s ability to blend unique experiences, customer engagement, and thoughtful market expansion lays the groundwork for a sustainable business model in the entertainment sector. For those in similar positions, monitoring Escape This’ journey could provide valuable insights into effective growth strategies and the importance of continually enhancing customer experiences.
