“There’s absolutely no difference between Magic and the Magical.”

We shuffle slowly into the basement, careful not to bump into anything. This is harder than seems, because everywhere we turn, there are boxes and objects. Collections of items are spotlit, dust motes dancing in the air. Curious, we split up and start exploring. In one hidden nook, there’s a display of antique brass locks, and in another, a strange set of wine bottles. Over in the corner, there is a sculpture of a Van Gogh head, which hides pontifications on commercialized art on the back. 

This basement belongs to Michael Borys, and was our first introduction to the man behind The 49 Boxes. Michael is not only an innovative game designer with a storied career, he is also a magician and a writer. His magical experience, The 49 Boxes, blurs the lines between puzzle hunt, magic show, and interactive theater. We also explore Michael’s other work, including The Arkham Files, an exciting new type of tabletop game that makes use of AR technology.

Michael cares deeply about creating a magical experience for players. Whether it’s through magic shows, tabletop games, or his experience The 49 Boxes, Michael’s games aim to transport the player and make them the hero. We are thrilled to bring his unique experience to RECON Los Angeles.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: Morty App, Buzzshot, and COGS. 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!
• 00:10 Sponsor Break: COGS by Clockwork Dog, Interactive Show Controls
• 02:50 Spotlight on Michael Borys: A Storied Career in Game Design
• 03:11 The 49 Boxes Experience
• 04:23 Michael Borys Origin Story: From Fine Arts to Game Design Pioneer
• 07:05 Challenges and Triumphs in Early Internet Game Design
• 10:16 The Art of Alternate Reality Games (ARGs)
• 21:13 Sponsor Break: Morty App, Discover and Track Escape Rooms
• 23:53 Magic in Game Design: Blurring the Lines
• 27:07 Sponsor Break: Buzzshot, Escape Room Marketing Software

• 33:57 The Magic Castle: A Magician’s Haven
• 36:25 Diving Into The 49 Boxes Experience
• 38:01 The Emotional Impact and Design Philosophy Behind The 49 Boxes
• 39:25 From Puzzle Parties to Magic Castle: The Evolution of The 49 Boxes
• 43:50 The Creative Journey: Balancing Art and Commerce
• 45:35 Collaboration and Appreciation in Creative Work
• 46:22 Advice to Young Creatives: Patience and Passion
• 49:00 Introducing The Arkham Files: Panic in Gotham City
• 53:43 The Art of Knowing and Collaborating
• 55:43 A Deep Dive into Pool Playing and Psychological Warfare
• 59:56 The Unorthodox Dr. Seuss Taxidermy Collection

• 1:02:50 Looking Ahead: Future Projects and Final Thoughts
• 1:09:18 Bonus Story: The Greatest Magic Show That Never Happened

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

• The 49 Boxes Website
• Infinite Rabbit Holes Website
• Animal Repair Shop Website
• 42 Entertainment Website
• Boing Boing Article about the Unorthodox Dr. Seuss Collection

About Michael Borys

IG: @borys.michael

Michael is an award-winning designer who has created stories, games, and interactive experiences for the largest brands in the world, including Disney, Warner Brothers, Microsoft, Activision, Paramount, and Sony.

As Vice President of Interaction Design for 42 Entertainment, he crafted some of the most successful audience activation experiences of all time, winning back-to-back Cannes Lions Grand Prix Awards for innovative Alternate Reality Games that engaged millions of participants in dozens of countries around the globe. From Batman to Call of Duty, Michael taps into the collective experience of discovery and play.

Known as a pioneer of immersive storytelling, Michael’s projects span many mediums, from theme park attractions to secret augmented reality, location-based entertainment projects, always exploring new frontiers at the intersection of both the physical world and the virtual. Michael is a magician member of The Magic Castle in Hollywood and his immersive show The 49 Boxes has been performed around the country.

His most recent passion project is a newly released game called The Arkham Files – an immersive experience in which Gotham City and the adventures of Harley Quinn spill into the player’s world. The product is almost 10 pounds of beautifully printed puzzles and 8-10 hours of collaborative experience. Accompanied by a next level AR app that makes the game come alive, Michael hopes to define new categories of gameplay and storytelling – where players become citizens of worlds they love.

Support REPOD

• Subscribe to Patreon for bonus content.
• Please rate and review our podcast!

Thanks for listening!

Support Room Escape Artist’s Mission

There are lots of ways to support Room Escape Artist, like buying from Amazon or Etsy after clicking into the links included in this post or backing us on Patreon.

The money that we make from these helps us to grow the site and continue to add more value to the community that we love so much.