“ There are three defining characteristics of a Sauve Qui Peut game: an unusual underlying concept, commitment to the bit, and beautifully painted murals.”

They do things a little differently around here. That’s been Steven Keller’s personal design philosophy ever since he started making his first escape rooms at his company, Sauve Qui Peut, located in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu in Quebec, Canada. If you’ve ever played games at this company, you’d know the house style is that there is no house style. Every game feels distinct and different, almost like they were designed by different people. And yet Steven is the mad genius behind it all.

Steven is one of the most instinct-driven designers I’ve encountered in this industry. He designed his first three rooms within five months of having the idea, before he’d even signed a lease. He deliberately avoided playing other escape rooms early on so he wouldn’t get influenced. However, he eventually abandoned this philosophy when he realized that Egyptian-themed rooms were not, in fact, his invention. What hasn’t changed is his core approach: start with one really cool thing, build around it, and figure out the story last. Like I said, they do things a little differently around here.

However, Steve doesn’t do it alone. Shawn Mercier is Steven’s right hand man, and he joins us also to give us the nuts and bolts perspective. He started as a gamemaster, began quietly fixing and improving mechanisms, and pretty soon made himself indispensable. Shawn introduced more sophisticated and reliable tech to Sauve Qui Peut’s rooms. He helps keep everything running smoothly, all before he turned 26! We know, because he celebrated his birthday with us on the day of our recording.

Together, Steve and Shawn are responsible for some of the most inventive and, yes, slightly unhinged escape room design in Quebec. I really appreciated hearing Steven talk about his design process. There’s a madcap creative improv quality to it, and it’s part of what makes their games so quirky and memorable.

If you enjoyed this conversation and want to check out the games at Sauve Qui Peut, consider joining us on one of our future Escape, Immerse, Explore tours to the Montreal area.

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.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

• 00:00 Sponsor Break: RECON – The Reality Escape Convention
• 02:45 Meaning of Sauve Qui Peut
• 03:51 Steven’s Origins Story
• 07:34 Two Locations Explained
• 11:15 Shawn Joins the Team
• 14:46 Sponsor Break: Buzzshot, Escape Room Marketing Software
• 17:24 Signature Style and Murals
• 20:20 Design Philosophy
• 23:13 Early Standout Rooms
• 26:25 The NC-17 Room
• 28:42 Slower Builds and Industry Push
• 31:54 Sponsor Break: Room Escape Artist Patreon – Bonus Episodes, Spoilers Club & More
• 34:07 Falderon Forest Lessons
• 37:48 Castle of Eternal Suffering
• 40:41 Personal Drives and Skills
• 43:38 Business Lessons and Growth
• 45:51 Sponsor Break: PG’s Playhouse – Puzzles, Pals, and Trivia
• 47:19 Stephen’s Hip-Hop Hobby
• 48:44 What Comes Next
• 52:13 Credits
• 53:01 A Unique Use for a Key

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

• Sauve Qui Peut (SQP) Website
• Escaparium (Jonathan Driscoll & Sasha St. Denis) – Previous REPOD guests
  • REPOD S4E5
  • REPOD S10E7
• REA Reviews
  • Falderon Forest
  • Denderah’s Secret
  • Dream Weekend
  • Vortex Future
  • Vortex Past
  • The Underground Bar
  • Final Exam
  • Wrath of Poseidon
  • The review of Castle of Eternal Suffering is coming soon.

About Steven Keller & Shawn Mercier

Steven Keller — Co-Founder, Sauve Qui Peut
Steven Keller is one of the three co-founders of Sauve Qui Peut. Since opening day in 2017, he has been central to building SQP from a single room concept into an 11-room, two-city operation with a growing international reputation. His vision for immersive storytelling and production quality is a cornerstone of what makes SQP stand out in a crowded industry.

Shawn Mercier — Technical Director & Branch Manager, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu
Shawn Mercier oversees all operations at SQP’s flagship Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu location. His role spans staff management, scenario design, custom prop fabrication, marketing, and the technical infrastructure that brings these immersive worlds to life. With a background in network administration and IT security and a hands-on approach to everything from electronics to 3D printing and CNC fabrication, Shawn brings a uniquely technical and creative edge to escape room design. He is one of the key driving forces behind SQP’s continued growth and the increasingly ambitious scope of its productions.

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