Conversation with Jonathan Driscoll on Escaparium and the TERPECA AWARDS 2024

Scott Douglas Jacobsen
In-Sight Publishing, Fort Langley, British Columbia, Canada

Correspondence: Scott Douglas Jacobsen (Email: scott.jacobsen2025@gmail.com)

Received: December 29, 2024
Accepted: N/A
Published: January 15, 2025 

Abstract

This interview explores the insights of Jonathan Driscoll, Co-Founder and President of Escaparium, a leading escape room company based in Laval, Quebec, in conversation with Scott Douglas Jacobsen. The discussion delves into the evolution of escape rooms—from simple puzzle hunts to fully immersive, cinematic experiences—highlighting how storytelling, actor involvement, and innovative puzzle design contribute to their success. Driscoll reflects on the significance of winning top international accolades, most notably the number 1 game globally at the 2024 Top Escape Rooms Project Enthusiasts’ Choice Awards (TERPECA) for “Magnifico’s Circus.” Key topics include the role of meticulous theming, the importance of creating a lived-in narrative, and the economic impact of escape room tourism, with travelers visiting Escaparium from around the world. This conversation provides a comprehensive look at how continued innovation and immersion propel the escape room industry forward, redefining entertainment on a global scale.

Keywords: Actor Involvement, Canada, Escape Room Industry, Immersive Entertainment, Innovation, Magnifico’s Circus, Puzzle Design, Storytelling, TERPECA, Tourism

Introduction

Jonathan Driscoll is the Co-Founder and President of Escaparium, an internationally acclaimed escape room enterprise that started in 2016 in Laval, Quebec. Under Driscoll’s leadership, Escaparium has expanded to multiple locations, creating over 30 immersive and story-driven escape games. One of its signature experiences, Magnifico’s Circus, was recently awarded the top spot at the 2024 Top Escape Rooms Project Enthusiasts’ Choice Awards (TERPECA), placing Escaparium firmly on the global map of must-play escape rooms. In this interview, conducted on December 29, 2024 (and published on January 15, 2025), Driscoll shares the company’s origin story, from his initial fascination with escape rooms in Florida to the growth of Escaparium as a Canadian leader in immersive entertainment. He touches on the logistical and creative challenges in crafting high-quality rooms, how actors elevate the overall experience, and the influence of places like Disney and Universal Studios on their vision for the future of immersive attractions. Driscoll also addresses the emergence of escape room tourism, with enthusiasts traveling worldwide to experience top-ranked games.

Main Text (Interview)

Interviewer: Scott Douglas Jacobsen

Interviewee: Jonathan Driscoll

Section 1: Evolution of Celebrity Behavior

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: So here we are with Jonathan Driscoll. We’re going to talk about Escaparium. I learned that Escaparium won the top escape room award in the world. First of all, I didn’t know this was a thing.

Second, it’s cool. Third, I have participated in a couple of escape rooms in my time and have found them enjoyable. They’re just so different, and they were in Eastern Canada when I was there.
So, what’s your general journey into escape rooms?

Jonathan Driscoll: Well, my journey resembled that of many other owners. The first escape room I played was in Florida. I heard about these things and initially thought about an escape room. I talked to my wife about it even before I knew they existed—we discussed it after watching the movie “Maze Runner.”

We thought, “What if we created some experience where people had to navigate through rooms with moving walls and other challenges? You must solve something in each room before moving on to the next.” It’s funny that we came up with something similar independently. We discovered existing escape rooms, went to Florida, played one, and then played several more there because we loved it so much. I was looking for a career change, and we returned home ready to start our venture.

We began looking for a location and just started from there. That’s it. We began with some subpar escape rooms, especially one of them. We always say, “Oh, that was our ugly duckling.” It wasn’t great, but we learned a lot from it. We’ve travelled worldwide, conducted extensive research, talked to customers, and played many escape rooms.

We even visit Disney in Florida regularly for inspiration. So yes, our concept sprang from all those experiences and the mistakes people make when designing escape rooms.

Section 2: Motivations Behind Celebrity Interviews

Jacobsen: What lessons did you learn when you first developed escape rooms that were not as good as they are now?

Driscoll: That’s a good question and could have many answers. There are many things you learn. The thing about this industry is that I started almost at the same time as everyone else, at least in Canada. Escape rooms started a little earlier than us in the US and Japan, so there wasn’t much to base ourselves on.

When nothing exists, you’re going through each iteration or each game, trying to learn from it by listening to customers and asking, “What can we improve? How can we do this better?”

Most of the time, the issue is that most people don’t know what they want or have a good idea of why something isn’t working. That’s the most difficult part because they often say, “Oh, I don’t like this,” but that’s not the problem. I’ll give you an example. I conducted some polls on Facebook, and more than once, I was confused by the answers. I asked people, “What did you like or dislike about your experience?”

By linear, I mean where there’s just one puzzle after another, and by nonlinear, where you might have three puzzles at once in one section and then four puzzles at once in the next. This allows players to separate and ensures there’s always something to do.

95% of people say they don’t like linear rooms. But the thing is, it’s not that they don’t like linear rooms—it’s that poorly designed linear rooms give a bad experience. Poor design creates issues that are hard to identify or resolve, especially when players don’t even realize the problem or what they do and don’t enjoy.

All that misinformation makes it difficult to improve and enhance the experience. There are easier ways to gather feedback, though, using evidence-based approaches. For example, we can draw insights from puzzles, game mechanics, or video games, as game design is not new.

There are parallels between escape rooms and other forms of gaming, but there are also significant differences. For instance, online video games differ greatly from escape rooms in terms of their physical and interactive nature. Addressing these differences and evolving designs is one of the challenges that helped us reach the top.

Section 3: Public Interest in Celebrities

Jacobsen: What logistical aspects of escape rooms are the most difficult to construct or plan?

Driscoll: The puzzles are essentially the gateway to the next scene. That’s how we approach it now. It wasn’t always like that. Initially, escape rooms were just a series of puzzles thrown together. The next step in evolution was creating escape rooms with a cohesive theme, ensuring the puzzles matched that theme.

After that, the next generation of puzzles went further—they had to fit the story and theme and help advance the narrative. These puzzles had to contribute to the story, the characters, and the player’s role as the protagonist. That’s the hardest part—designing puzzles or tasks that fit seamlessly into the story and make the story progress in a meaningful way.

Of course, building the sets and everything else takes time. Still, the intellectual effort in crafting puzzles or tasks that drive the story forward is the most challenging. It’s about making players feel like they’re living in a movie. That has always been the goal, but we’re much closer to achieving it now than ever.

Before, many escape rooms—some still today—focused solely on puzzles. Players enter, solve puzzles, hear music, get an introduction at the beginning, and maybe some dialogue at the end. That doesn’t make you feel like you’re in a movie. What we’re doing now is on a completely different level, where players truly feel like they’re part of a cinematic experience.

So if these puzzles pull you out of the experience—if they don’t make sense or don’t fit—they break immersion. That’s the hardest part. Some puzzles take months to design because finding something that works is difficult.

Section 4: Celebrity Activism and Responsibility

Jacobsen: What about interactivity? I didn’t experience much of it when I did escape rooms several years ago, but I didn’t pick the right ones.

Driscoll: Back then, there wasn’t an interaction between players and actors or workers. If that, 0.1% of escape rooms had this kind of interaction.

Jacobsen: What are some cues for bringing interactivity into the experience to make it more engaging? For instance, older escape rooms often featured linear puzzles with some background music. They didn’t feel like a story. Now, it feels like you’re immersed in a movie. This can even include live actors. When did live actors become part of escape rooms, and how has that been integrated more thoroughly?

Driscoll: I knew nothing about acting when I started—though I know more now. It was baby steps at first. We had a few staff members who were more experienced in acting, so we started by slowly integrating their expertise into our rooms.

We revisited some of our less engaging experiences. We thought, “What if we add a bit of acting here, maybe for the introduction?” It could make the players feel undercover or on some secret mission. But I didn’t want to stand there and say, “Hey, you guys are undercover cops.” That would feel forced and unconvincing.

Instead, we worked on creating a more immersive atmosphere from the start. For instance, in the lobby, actors might say, “You’re undercover cops heading into a dangerous situation,” to draw players into the narrative subtly. Getting people fully invested initially was hard, but acting was a big step toward achieving that.

We started small, gradually adding more acting elements to each new game and even updating older games. Now, our latest experiences are fully interactive. Players aren’t just passive witnesses to a story—they’re part of the action. They feel like their decisions matter, like they’re influencing the outcome of the narrative.

Our latest experience hit the mark in this regard. It was much harder to design but more fun for the players and the actors. This interactivity, where players feel essential to the story, has been a major factor in getting us to where we are today.

Section 5: Intelligence and Success in Acting

Jacobsen: You recently won the number one award for an escape room. What were the criteria for that recognition? What were the comments on winning? What are the reasons behind it, and what’s the feeling of being number one globally for something that has been around long enough for the competition to be significant? The awards must mean a lot since they’re quite competitive.

Driscoll: Yes, there are around 55,000 escape rooms globally. And I’ve played most, well, most-ish, of the top escape rooms in the world—at least more than 50% of the top 100 globally, which is pretty cool. So, I have a good understanding of what’s out there.

The TERPECA Awards award we won is significant because it’s considered the most prestigious by enthusiasts and industry professionals alike. When I say “considered,” people plan trips around these rankings. For instance, we’re heading to Athens, Spain, and Munich when we book our trips, like the one at the end of January. Why Athens? Because many of the top-rated escape rooms are in Athens, all over Spain, and near Munich. We’re basing our trip on playing the top-ranked rooms in those areas—maybe the top 150.

The awards are prestigious because enthusiasts created them out of passion for the industry. There’s no financial incentive; the organizers have no financial interests. Their goal is to provide the most honest and respected rankings. That makes them so important—they’re driven by love for the industry, not money.

Here’s how it works: If you’ve played 100 escape rooms, you can apply to vote. Each country has representatives, called ambassadors, and some countries have more than one. It’s still a tight-knit community, so we generally know the people who have played more than 100 rooms. The ambassador verifies whether someone has genuinely played the required number of rooms and ensures they’re not affiliated with any of the companies they might vote for.

For instance, I’m allowed to vote but can’t for my games. My parents can’t vote for my games. My employees can’t vote, and neither can their families. These rules are in place to ensure fairness and eliminate conflicts of interest. While no system is entirely free of bias—everyone has preferences, and total objectivity isn’t possible—the process is as honest and transparent as possible.

Even if I don’t always agree with the rankings 100%, I can understand why a room is rated a certain way. For example, I might not love horror or fantasy genres as much. However, I can still recognize and appreciate why a room is ranked sixth globally. It’s about respecting the effort and creativity that go into these experiences.

I could see what people see in it. So, yes, getting first place was definitely on our bucket list. We put everything we had into this project. We invested $1,300,000, and our team of 15 full-timers, plus five part-timers, worked for about a year and three months. That doesn’t sound like a long time, but with 15 to 20 people working consistently, that’s a huge number of person-hours. Plus, the conceptual work started even earlier.

We’re incredibly proud. The whole team was super proud of what we achieved. When it was time to watch the live announcement on YouTube, about 50 people gathered to cheer us on. It was truly special, and we’re proud to have brought this recognition to Canada. North America isn’t as advanced in escape rooms as Europe. Globally, Europe is way ahead of us in the escape room industry, so this win is something to be especially proud of.

We also had another room rank number three, which is amazing. I don’t know if that will ever be repeated, but we’re very happy.

Section 6: Charisma and Social Skills in Success

Jacobsen: Well, we’re doing this interview on December 29th, 2024, at the end of the year. Since you’re ranked at the top, looking ahead, where do you see escape rooms going? What is the next evolution of escape room challenges? Will we incorporate VR and other technologies into this more? Personally, or based on global trends, what do you think?

Driscoll: That’s a great point. Personally and globally, the trajectory is similar. Escape rooms are so sought after and special because they don’t rely on screens. They’re one of the only experiences where you can go and truly live an adventure. Back then, it was always video games or living through characters in movies.

We did experiment with VR escape rooms—they exist, and we had them for a while—but we eventually removed them. We’re not passionate about VR, which goes against why escape rooms are so popular. The appeal of escape rooms lies in their tactile, real-world nature.

The evolution of escape rooms is closely aligned with the evolution of rides at Disney or Universal Studios. These parks are masters at creating immersive experiences. There’s only so much thrill you can offer, but what makes them timeless is their ability to push the boundaries of immersion. That’s why Disney and Universal are always full, no matter the state of the economy—they’ve mastered creating an immersive experience.

We’re trying to achieve that, pushing those limits with Magnifico, our new experience. We’ve taken immersive entertainment as far as possible, though there’s always room to improve and push further. I don’t think the core path will change much—we’re on the right track. You can look at Disney and Universal, who are years ahead of us, and see where they’re going. That’s the direction we’re headed as well.

If you’ve been to Disney and experienced Rise of the Resistance, the Star Wars ride, you know how incredible it is. What they’ve done there is amazing. The direction they’re going in is exactly what we’re aiming for. That’s precisely where our new experiences are headed. We’ll not deviate much from that path.

I could play these rooms for years and never tire because they’re so immersive and different. Each time feels like being in a new movie, and you don’t get bored watching a new movie. While we always strive to evolve and improve, we’re not planning to deviate from where we are today.

We’re still heading in a specific direction, and since Disney and Universal are moving in the same direction—as is much of the entertainment industry—it reinforces that we’re on the right path. I don’t think the core of what we’re doing will change much. It’ll continue evolving and improving, but the essence will remain the same. For example, if you play Magnifico now, I believe the top escape rooms in 10 years will resemble what we’re doing today.

Section 7: Balancing Public and Private Personas

Jacobsen: Jonathan, do you have any final thoughts or feelings you’d like to share with readers about being number one in the world and all the hard work you’ve put in over the years?

Driscoll: For us, this is truly a dream come true. When we started nine years ago, I never imagined we’d be where we are today. Even six years ago—or four or five years ago—I couldn’t have predicted this level of success. Even two years ago, the new experience we’ve created seemed beyond our reach. What we’ve accomplished, especially with this new experience, feels surreal.

What I’m particularly proud of is how we’ve contributed to creating a new industry of tourism that didn’t exist before. More and more people are travelling specifically to experience escape rooms. Just today, a group from the UK flew in for three days to play our rooms and is heading back immediately after. That’s becoming increasingly common.

I’m not exaggerating when I say that people come from abroad every week, some from very far away. Of course, we also get visitors from closer locations, but the number of international travellers is growing. This has brought us recognition from governments, tourism offices, and others who now see the benefits of having companies like ours in their cities. It’s creating tourism destinations, and we’re very proud of that. We want to keep pushing forward.

There’s no limit to where we can go. For now, we’re living a dream, and it’s incredible to say that this passion comes not just from the team creating the experiences but also from the actors who bring them to life. Without the actors, it would just be a dead world. They’re the ones who breathe life into it.

So, yes, those are my final thoughts. Thank you.

Section 8: Success Beyond Social Competence

Jacobsen: Excellent, Jonathan. Thank you so much for your time today.

Driscoll: Awesome. Thank you. Nice meeting you.

Jacobsen: Likewise. Bye-bye.

Driscoll: Bye-bye.

Discussion

The interview between Scott Douglas Jacobsen and Jonathan Driscoll, Co-Founder and President of Escaparium, provides a comprehensive exploration of the evolution and current state of the escape room industry. Driscoll elucidates the transformation of escape rooms from basic puzzle-solving activities to sophisticated, immersive experiences that rival cinematic adventures. A pivotal theme is the emphasis on storytelling and thematic coherence, where each puzzle not only serves as a challenge but also advances the overarching narrative, thereby enhancing player immersion. Driscoll highlights the critical role of live actors in creating dynamic interactions, transforming participants from passive observers into active protagonists within the story. This integration of acting and narrative depth distinguishes Escaparium’s offerings and contributes significantly to their international acclaim.

Another significant aspect discussed is the methodological approach to designing escape rooms. Driscoll underscores the importance of iterative development, drawing lessons from early, less successful endeavors to refine and elevate subsequent experiences. Customer feedback, though sometimes ambiguous, is meticulously analyzed to inform design improvements, ensuring that each room meets high standards of engagement and immersion. The adoption of evidence-based design principles, inspired by video game mechanics and immersive entertainment venues like Disney and Universal Studios, further underscores Escaparium’s commitment to innovation and excellence.

The conversation also delves into the economic and cultural impact of award recognition, particularly the Top Escape Rooms Project Enthusiasts’ Choice Awards (TERPECA). Achieving the #1 ranking with “Magnifico’s Circus” not only validates Escaparium’s creative efforts but also positions the company as a leader in a highly competitive global market. This accolade has spurred growth in escape room tourism, with international visitors specifically traveling to experience Escaparium’s top-rated games, thereby contributing to local economies and positioning escape rooms as legitimate tourism attractions.

Looking forward, Driscoll envisions the continued evolution of escape rooms in alignment with advancements in immersive entertainment. While rejecting the integration of virtual reality to preserve the tactile, real-world appeal, Escaparium aims to push the boundaries of immersion through enhanced storytelling, set design, and interactive elements. The aspiration to emulate and innovate beyond the immersive experiences offered by theme parks like Disney and Universal Studios signifies a strategic direction focused on creating timeless and engaging adventures that resonate with diverse audiences.

Overall, the interview highlights the convergence of creativity, technological innovation, and strategic excellence in shaping the future of the escape room industry. Escaparium’s success serves as a case study in leveraging immersive storytelling and interactive design to create compelling entertainment experiences that captivate and inspire global audiences.

Methods

This interview was conducted by Scott Douglas Jacobsen, a journalist with In-Sight Publishing based in Fort Langley, British Columbia, Canada. The conversation took place on December 29, 2024, and was subsequently published on January 15, 2025. The methodology employed was a structured interview format, allowing for a focused yet flexible dialogue that enabled in-depth exploration of key topics related to the escape room industry. The interview was meticulously transcribed and organized into thematic sections to facilitate clarity and coherence. 

Data Availability

No datasets were generated or analyzed during the current article. All interview content remains the intellectual property of the interviewer and interviewee.

References

(No external academic sources were cited for this interview.)

Journal & Article Details

• Publisher: In-Sight Publishing
• Publisher Founding: March 1, 2014
• Web Domain: http://www.in-sightpublishing.com
• Location: Fort Langley, Township of Langley, British Columbia, Canada
• Journal: In-Sight: Interviews
• Journal Founding: August 2, 2012
• Frequency: Four Times Per Year
• Review Status: Non-Peer-Reviewed
• Access: Electronic/Digital & Open Access
• Fees: None (Free)
• Volume Numbering: 13
• Issue Numbering: 2
• Section: A
• Theme Type: Idea
• Theme Premise: “Outliers and Outsiders”
• Theme Part: 33
• Formal Sub-Theme: None
• Individual Publication Date: January 15, 2025
• Issue Publication Date: April 1, 2025
• Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
• Word Count: 2,791
• Image Credits: Photo by Adrià García Sarceda on Unsplash
• ISSN (International Standard Serial Number): 2369-6885

Acknowledgements

The author thanks Jonathan Driscoll for his time and willingness to participate in this interview.

Author Contributions

S.D.J. conceived and conducted the interview, transcribed and edited the conversation, and prepared the manuscript.

Competing Interests

The author declares no competing interests.

License & Copyright

In-Sight Publishing by Scott Douglas Jacobsen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
© Scott Douglas Jacobsen and In-Sight Publishing 2012–Present.

Unauthorized use or duplication of material without express permission from Scott Douglas Jacobsen is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links must use full credit to Scott Douglas Jacobsen and In-Sight Publishing with direction to the original content.

Supplementary Information

Below are various citation formats for Conversation with Jonathan Driscoll on Escaparium and the TERPECA AWARDS 2024.

1. American Medical Association (AMA 11th Edition)
   Jacobsen S. Conversation with Jonathan Driscoll on Escaparium and the TERPECA AWARDS 2024. January 2025;13(2). http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/jonathan-driscoll
2. American Psychological Association (APA 7th Edition)
   Jacobsen, S. (2025, January 15). Conversation with Jonathan Driscoll on Escaparium and the TERPECA AWARDS 2024. In-Sight Publishing. 13(2).
3. Brazilian National Standards (ABNT)
   JACOBSEN, S. Conversation with Jonathan Driscoll on Escaparium and the TERPECA AWARDS 2024. In-Sight: Interviews, Fort Langley, v. 13, n. 2, 2025.
4. Chicago/Turabian, Author-Date (17th Edition)
   Jacobsen, Scott. 2025. “Conversation with Jonathan Driscoll on Escaparium and the TERPECA AWARDS 2024.” In-Sight: Interviews 13 (2). http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/jonathan-driscoll.
5. Chicago/Turabian, Notes & Bibliography (17th Edition)
   Jacobsen, S. “Conversation with Jonathan Driscoll on Escaparium and the TERPECA AWARDS 2024.” In-Sight: Interviews 13, no. 2 (January 2025). http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/jonathan-driscoll.
6. Harvard
   Jacobsen, S. (2025) ‘Conversation with Jonathan Driscoll on Escaparium and the TERPECA AWARDS 2024’, In-Sight: Interviews, 13(2). http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/jonathan-driscoll.
7. Harvard (Australian)
   Jacobsen, S 2025, ‘Conversation with Jonathan Driscoll on Escaparium and the TERPECA AWARDS 2024’, In-Sight: Interviews, vol. 13, no. 2, http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/jonathan-driscoll.
8. Modern Language Association (MLA, 9th Edition)
   Jacobsen, Scott. “Conversation with Jonathan Driscoll on Escaparium and the TERPECA AWARDS 2024.” In-Sight: Interviews, vol. 13, no. 2, 2025, http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/jonathan-driscoll.
9. Vancouver/ICMJE
   Jacobsen S. Conversation with Jonathan Driscoll on Escaparium and the TERPECA AWARDS 2024 [Internet]. 2025 Jan;13(2). Available from: http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/jonathan-driscoll

Note on Formatting

This layout follows an adapted Nature research-article structure, tailored for an interview format. Instead of Methods, Results, and Discussion, we present Interview transcripts and a concluding Discussion. This design helps maintain scholarly rigor while accommodating narrative content.