the escape game market | Italy

1.1 Definition and scope of study

Escape rooms, often known as escape games, are a type of group game that has grown in popularity over the last decade all over the world. The maze concept is at the heart of the game, and players must discover clues and solve puzzles under a set time limit to escape. Even if the model of the "house of horrors" is undoubtedly one of the most popular, the game's scenario can also be placed in former historical contexts, in isolated locations, or in entirely fantastical realms. Born from a Japanese Idea, the game takes place in rooms with specifically designed structures. Each Escape Room room has a unique fee per participant that reduces as the number of players increases. It ranges from a maximum of € 22 per participant for two players to € 10 for numerous players.  

It is very difficult to estimate the global market value of escape rooms due to the fragmentation of the market, but we noticed that an escape room's average monthly income increased from $19,205.21 in 2016 to $21,404.96 in 2017, with an average order value of $113.16. The Increase in revenue has been of more than 10% in only one year 

In Italy, the number of escape rooms in 2020, were over 500 with different dimensions and themes; the number of rooms are rapidly growing in the last years, considering an increase of 420% from 2017 to 2020. The rooms are well distributed in Italy, all over the regions and the passion for this game is constantly increasing. Many companies are relying on this type of structure to organize team building activities. Thanks to their structure, they are perfect for strengthening the team and creating engagement among colleagues. In Italy, most escape rooms are franchised; depending on the services included in the affiliation and the reputation of the brand chosen, the cost required to operate an escape room can range from 10,000 to over 50,000 euros.

The new trends affect both digital escape rooms and the revisitation of key board games, given that escape rooms are mental ability games and given the social alienation that has evolved in recent years; despite the fact that the “locations”, themes, rules, and number of participants allowed, the game always entails solving puzzles, riddles, and overcoming traps in order to find the "escape route" from the room in which you are literally locked up