“The desert adds an incredible layer of realism that you’re never gonna get in any polished one hour experience.”

You’ve been driving through the desert for miles. It’s nighttime, and you’ve seen nothing but scrub brush and rocks for a while. Suddenly, emerging from the darkness is the glimmer of lights… neon lights, and as you get closer you hear the thunderous pounding of music. People in funky lit-up outfits are running around in this vibrant neon construction. You sigh as you settle into this post-apocalyptic city that you will call home for the next 5 days. 

It’s difficult to convey the scope of a fully immersive event that spans 5 days and is chock full of missions, tribal allegiances, subcultures, music, and mayhem. Wasteland Weekend and Neotropolis are multi-day, larp-esque, dystopian-themed immersive festivals taking place in the barren wasteland of the Mojave Desert in California. Jared Butler is the mastermind behind these events. He joins us to break down how it all works.

It was fascinating to hear about the logistics of running such a complex event. However, what struck me most during this interview was not the commitment to immersion, which is enforced by required in-world costumes, nor the scope, which includes missions, art pieces, performances, and a cohesive narrative. Rather, I was really impressed with the dedication to creating an open and welcoming community. Jared’s insistence on keeping his events an inviting and collaborative place to play is apparent, and I could feel how it trickles down through the culture of these events. Wasteland Weekend and Neotropolis are can’t-miss experiences if you’re looking to delve deeper into immersive play.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: Morty App, Buzzshot, COGS, and RECON Los Angeles. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

• 00:00 Welcome to the Reality Escape Pod!
• 00:14 Sponsor Break: Cogs by Clockwork Dog, Interactive Show Controls
• 02:08 Introducing Jared Butler: The Mastermind Behind Wasteland Weekend and Neotropolis
• 03:14 Diving Deep into Wasteland Weekend: Origins, Evolution, and Mechanics
• 08:21 The Creative Chaos of Wasteland Weekend: User-Generated Content and Themed Camps
• 20:40 Sponsor Break: Morty App, Discover and Track Escape Rooms
• 21:58 Creating an Inclusive and Welcoming Culture
• 27:35 Sponsor Break: Buzzshot, Escape Room Marketing Software
• 29:01 Exploring the Logistics: From Water Supply to Insurance Challenges
• 33:35 Jared Butler’s Journey into Cosplay and Advice for Newbies
• 37:37 Introducing Neotropolis: The Cyberpunk Sibling of Wasteland Weekend
• 42:41 Missions, Games, and the Unique Mechanics of Neotropolis
• 51:15 Voice Acting Career: From Captain Jack Sparrow to Disney Infinity
• 55:25 The Evolution and Future of Wasteland Weekend and Neotropolis
• 59:20 Closing Thoughts and How to Connect
• 1:02:37 Bonus Story: Double Middle

Leave us a voicemail

Got a question or thought for the podcast? You can submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273).

Resources Mentioned in this Episode

• Neotropolis Website
• Wasteland Weekend Website

About Jared Butler

Instagram: @neotropolisevent, @wastelandweekend

Twitter: @neotropolisHQ , @wastelandHQ

Jared Butler was born and raised in New England and now makes his home in Los Angeles. He started making films at an early age with his older brother, Greg Butler (now an Oscar-winning visual effects artist). Jared started his career working in feature film development at 20th Century Fox before becoming a professional screenwriter. He is also a working voice actor who specializes in celebrity voice matching. He is the owner of Wasteland World, which he co-founded in 2010, the first year of the popular Wasteland Weekend immersive post-apocalyptic festival.

In 2022, Wasteland World started another immersive festival called Neotropolis, creating an original cyberpunk and sci-fi world. Both Wasteland Weekend and Neotropolis are going strong, entering their 14th and 3rd years, respectively.

As for what Jared does in his spare time – he doesn’t have any. But he’s known to do some cosplay now and then.

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