”I want to make things big and explosive.”
You’ve just been thrown in jail, locked up inside a massive prison complex in the Netherlands. Along with 125 other prisoners, you must scheme, bribe, blackmail, commit mayhem, and find your way out.
This is Prison Escape, an immersive experience structured as a cinematic escape from prison. In 2025, Prison Escape ran 280 shows with an average player count of 125 participants. Approximately 22 of those shows were available in English.
Prison Escape creator Rik Stapelbroek joins us on REPOD to talk about this remarkable experience. There are many paths through to the end, including sweet talking the guards, perhaps poisoning a few, or maybe you work together with other prisoners to start a riot. Rik walks us through some of the logistics of how they create different opportunities for each type of player to succeed.
Rik has designed many types of interactions, from social manipulation style puzzles, to fact gathering missions so a player can contribute to a shared escape route map. He is also expanding their offerings online so more people can experience Prison Escape. This is an absolutely bonkers game, in the best way possible. If you’re a fan of larps, or large scale open world play, this episode is a must-listen.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: REA Patreon Backers, PG’s Playhouse, and Buzzshot. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.
Support Room Escape Artist on Patreon
Love escape rooms as much as we do? At Room Escape Artist, we’ve been analyzing, reviewing, and exploring the world of immersive games since 2014.
By becoming a Patreon supporter, you’re not just backing a blog — you’re fueling a mission to make the escape room and immersive gaming community stronger, more thoughtful, and more connected. You can also access exclusive Patreon content such as the Bonus Aftershow, Spoilers Club, and get early access to escape room Tour tickets and REA articles.
Your Patreon support goes toward our mission: paying our contributors, funding our infrastructure, and supporting deep research and industry advocacy.
Buzzshot
Buzzshot is proud to announce their new “all-in-one” Booking System designed from the ground up for one type of business, escape rooms.
Offering:
- Easy to use booking UI with no fees or hidden charges.
- Customer waiver capture
- Branded Team Photos
- Player Messaging
- Review Managment
- Automations
- Customer Surveys
- Broadcast Emails
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. FREE Trial Account with full features* including SMS messaging, and ‘Buzzshot Bookings’ trial upon request. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
PG’s Playhouse Podcast
If you love wordplay, puzzles, and trivia, this is the podcast for you! PG’s Playhouse recreates a fun game night with friends, all in a short, 30-minute format. Of course, what’s game night without making new friends? We bring on different guests for the different episodes!
Topics Discussed in this Episode
- 00:00 Sponsor Break: RECON – The Reality Escape Convention
- 03:01 Origin Story and Early Escape Rooms
- 04:08 Renting a Real Prison
- 05:08 Building the Community and Actors
- 06:30 Test Game and Kickstarter Breakthrough
- 08:30 Why Dutch Prisons are Available
- 13:23 The Yellow School Bus Arrival
- 15:12 The Entrance to Prison Escape
- 17:12 Mugshots and Marketing Magic
- 20:13 Sponsor Break: Buzzshot, Escape Room Marketing Software
- 23:20 Walking into the Yard
- 25:36 Finding the Line Between Real and Fictional Prison
- 28:29 The Rita Hayworth Poster
- 29:55 Safety Rules and Actor Protection
- 34:23 Accessibility Stickers
- 38:21 Sponsor Break: Room Escape Artist Patreon – Bonus Episodes, Spoilers Club & More
- 40:53 Digging into the Main Gameplay
- 45:01 Online Game Evolution
- 48:11 Casting the Right Actors
- 50:58 Dynamic Difficulty Tuning
- 56:59 Sponsor Break: PG’s Playhouse – Puzzles, Pals, and Trivia
- 58:55 Humanity Behind Design
- 01:01:34 Is Rik Open to Using Other Settings?
- 01:03:04 What Comes Next
- 01:07:26 Credits
Leave 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
- Prison Escape Website
- REA Reviews of Prison Escape
- Congratulations 2026 REAction Award Winners
About Rik Stapelbroek
Instagram: @prisonescapenl
TikTok @prisonescapenl
As an entrepreneur in the Real Life Gaming industry, my journey has been shaped by innovation and leadership. For almost a decade, I’ve been at the forefront of creating immersive, large-scale events. It all started with Real Life Gaming, where I designed experiences that captivated hundreds of players and actors, pushing the limits of traditional gaming. Our first live event, Prison Escape Rotterdam, was a bold adventure. Set in a real prison, it allowed over 150 players to engage with more than 30 actors in a span of three hours. This event transformed participants into the heroes of their own prison escape story, creating an unparalleled and thrilling experience.
However, the journey hasn’t been without its hurdles. When confronted with the challenge of live show cancellations in 2021, we didn’t back down. Instead, we adapted and innovated, creating a remote Prison Escape experience. It combined live cameras, actors, and advanced technology into a compelling digital game, demonstrating our resourcefulness and dedication to our audience.
My latest venture, Prison Escape Training, goes a step further. We’ve developed a subscription-based service that offers Prison Escape Remote as a serious game combined with training sessions. Our service goes beyond entertainment, as it helps individuals apply the insights gained from the games to their daily lives. In all these endeavors, I’ve harnessed the power of social media and online marketing to connect with our diverse audience. My stakeholder management skills have been instrumental in driving our business growth.
In essence, my journey in the gaming industry is about more than just creating innovative products. It’s about bringing together diverse groups, pushing boundaries, and emphasizing the importance of human connection and creativity.
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Thanks for listening!
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