REAL ESCAPE GAME
Responsible for the marketing, PR and partnerships of the business, Ka Wai, known to friends as Leo, along with his partners, launched two years ago, the real escape game Breakout with the first outlet located in Avenue K, joining the league of a thriving startup force. Unlike other real escape games, Breakout is the first to introduce character gameplay, where each player assumes a role and the attached traits, and then partners one another in a team of two to eight to effectively tackle the mostly classic muder mystery-based plots.
The group saw the need to help society touch base with the physical world and decided to go with something fun. “We aim to bring both youngsters and game scenario out from the virtual and fictional world back to reality. In an escape game, you need to be there physically to solve the puzzles, open the doors, etc; all that while fully immersed in a setting decked out to the theme for a total experience,” he says.
He explains that the business is also a platform for individuals and teams to further discover themselves, saying, “Because of the different ideas and personalities, combined with the high stress, many end up going at one another. It’s a good reflection exercise on character and how a team can better work together when a problem arises in real life. Companies engage us for teambuilding activities.”
Having been an employee before prompts him to be more attentive to his staff’s development when playing the boss. “What I’m doing now is to build not just our dream, but theirs as well. I try to create a competitive environment by openly discussing their performances so that each one realises his weaknesses and, in turn, works on them and gets better.”