Does your anxiety spike after hearing an enthusiastic “irasshaimase!” or wish you could silently browse without anyone following you around to peer pressure you into a sale? Introverts and shopaholics rejoice, Tokyo’s latest commercial endeavor actually demands its customers to stop talking to their employees.
Conceptual clothing brand Tokiqil and Parco Games are collaborating to bring esc, an escape room game and shopping hybrid attraction that actively requires customers to avoid staff members in order to complete their purchases.
Tokiqil’s apparel is inspired by puzzle solving. With their slogan of “solve & wear,” their core concept revolves around deciphering riddles and puzzles to unlock access to their designs. Now with their own in-store gaming arena, the esc shop challenges its customers to shop if they dare.
How To Play
The goal of the game is to go shopping while avoiding all of the store’s staff members. If a staff member call out to you, you’re disqualified. If you ask a staff member a question? Also immediately disqualified.
Team Up
Up to three people per group enter the game arena inside the Ikebukuro Parco department store’s basement event space. Tickets are ¥3,300 on weekdays and ¥5,500 on weekends and holidays. Whether one or three players join the game, the price does not change. And game organizers highly recommend coming in groups of three to increase your chances of winning.
Analyze
Though the total experience lasts for approximately 40 minutes, guests only get a maximum of five minutes to shop for as long as they can without getting caught. Players will also be given 15 minutes to plan out their strategy before entering the arena. During the planning time, players should analyze the store layout and observe the behavior of the staff. The esc store’s layout and product display will continuously change throughout the event period, making a fun and unique experience for each player to attempt their escape.
Shop
There’s a variety of items to pick up: from apparel to board games, puzzles and more. By adding certain items to your shopping cart, you’ll unlock new products and special offers. The esc store has over 110 products to shop for, from brands including Aamy, Arclight Games, Felissimo Magic Club, Bunkitsu, Qurio Store and Tokiqil, along with some event-exclusive esc merchandise.
We also spotted Parco Games merchandise for the “The Gift Tainted with Malice” murder mystery game and for the “Exit 8” horror game and upcoming movie.
Guests who manage to not get kicked out by staff members for an extended period of time will receive a special mystery gift at checkout.
Checkout
Once you successfully leave the store, any items that made it inside your basket are available for purchase. Customers who manage to continue shopping until the game’s final stage will receive a 10% discount on all in-store products.
Escape the Staff
The store manager is depicted as a cool chimera of a humanoid barcode scanner. The character is voiced by Yamien, a voice actor known for his distinctive low, resonant voice and laid-back manner of speaking.
The shop’s background music is also carefully designed. It was produced by Sasuke Haraguchi, who has produced music for television programs, commercials and even the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
For more information and to book this experience, visit the esc website.
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