Frequently Asked Questions
Curation
How did Room Escape Artist come to host a convention?
Room Escape Artist has been an active member of the escape room industry since 2014.
Co-founders David and Lisa Spira have been attendees, speakers (including keynote), panelists, panel moderators, exhibitors, media, and special guests at industry events all around the world. That’s how they honed a vision for a highly curated event with world class speakers and an emphasis on community conversation.
RECON was originally planned as an in-person immersive games convention in 2020, but REA adapted in the face of the pandemic, translating the vision into an accessible, digital, global event. RECON ’20 & ’21 were resounding successes with over 900 attendees from more than 60 countries.
Is this an annual event?
Yes! Next year’s is already in the works.
Can I get involved?
Contact us with our handy-dandy form or email us at RECON@roomescapeartist.com and we’ll get back to you.
How are you selecting the speakers?
We’re not just dropping speakers on stages; we’re curating an experience. Each talk will give different information, and our programming team works closely with each speaker to produce the content.
We’re looking for 4 qualities in the people that we will put on stage:
- Deep knowledge of their craft
- Willingness to give of their knowledge
- Charismatic stage presence
- Ability to put a creative spin on the content
We know a lot of people in the escape room and adjacent worlds. In some cases, we reached out to speakers and asked them to share their expertise in a certain area. In other cases, the speakers reached out to us, or answered our call for proposals, and together we determined that they’d be a great fit for RECON.
How are you ensuring the quality of talks?
In one word: Actively.
Lee-Fay Low leads the RECON Programming team in supporting each and every speaker to ensure the talks are:
- Written well in advance
- Crafted thoughtfully and skillfully
- Fact-checked
- Rehearsed
- Taking setting and context into account
Will REA be speaking?
If you put a microphone in a space full of escape room people, David & Lisa will find their way to it.
You can expect a “well-researched, rational, and reasonably humorous” talk.
I've been to other events where the talks were basically sales pitches. How are you avoiding that?
These talks won’t be sales pitches. They will be focused on delivering actionable escape room insights. They’ll aim to make you reflect.
Some of these speakers don’t currently have a product or service to sell you. That said, we’d never fault a speaker for briefly mentioning an offer, especially because it might be relevant to your needs.
I've already been to an escape room conference. Will the talks be the same?
You may have heard some of our speakers before… however, the talks will be unique.
Our emphasis is on 3 central goals:
- Supporting the growth and evolution of escape rooms
- Fostering escape room community conversation
- Creating a sustainable escape room industry
I didn't get anything out of another conference. What will I get out of RECON?
It depends what you’re looking for. If you’re looking for a convention that can magically provide all the insights you need to turn your escape room business into a superpower overnight, you probably won’t find that anywhere.
At RECON, we’ll have a curated lineup of exceptional featured talks from knowledgeable speakers, all crafted for today’s audience. Additionally, we will have a lot of opportunities to engage with fantastic games, and learn through play. Most importantly, RECON is different from other events because you’ll feel a sense of community.
Tickets
How do I get a ticket?
Click here to get your ticket!
What's included with a ticket?
Please visit our ticket information page for additional details and pricing.
How many talks are included in my ticket?
All of them! Every RECON ticket includes access to all the talks. RECON isn’t a collection of disconnected seminars; it’s a curated experience.
For more details, check out our ticket information page.
Is there a cap on the number of attendees?
There are limited quantities of tickets available.
How do I buy multiple tickets?
You can select multiple tickets at checkout. However, because each ticket needs to be associated with a separate individual, we encourage you to contact us to make sure your RECON sign-in process will go smoothly for each person. Otherwise, have each person in your party complete their own checkout process.
How do I get tickets for my company/class/group?
Please contact RECON for group and special purchases.
Room Escape Artist
What are you trying to accomplish?
The Reality Escape Convention exists to support a community and industry that loves, designs, and operates immersive games.
We believe immersive games like escape rooms are a new category of storytelling, with the staying power of other media that came before. The companies thriving today are innovators and we’re excited about the innovations that will come next.
RECON strives to support these businesses and to help grow a strong, sustainable industry.
What if I sent a nasty letter to REA because of a review I didn't agree with?
You’re still welcome at RECON. David, Lisa, and all the writers at REA have thick skin.
Does RECON compromise the impartiality of Room Escape Artist?
No, it furthers our mission to provide valuable insights to this community, just as we do through the reviews.
The reviews that REA produces are part of our constant and ever-deepening analysis of escape rooms as a medium. Our bread and butter is studying the construction of these games, not serving judgment – it’s one of the many, many reasons that we have zero interest in ascribing ratings to games.
When we review, we call the experience as we see it. Our integrity has never been for sale… and even if it were, it would cost a whole lot more than a ticket to RECON.
Does RECON have anything in common with the Escape Immerse Explore tours?
It’s similar in that it is a gathering of people with a love of escape rooms and similar types of entertainment. Everything else is different.
The Escape Immerse Explore tours are all about visiting world-class escape rooms with others who share this passion, and experiencing the games together.
RECON is all about positioning this industry for a sustainable future by providing resources and connections to assist creators, business owners, and consumers in these efforts. We all succeed together.
That said, RECON Boston will be pulling extensively from our experience in running escape room tours. We are incorporating a heavy play component, so if you’re looking for a good time, we’ve got you covered.