The Escape Game — the Nashville‑based immersive entertainment company with more than 60 locations nationwide — is making its Arizona debut with a new five‑room venue in Downtown Gilbert.
The Heritage Marketplace entertainment center at 366 N. Gilbert Rd., opens Friday, July 31.
Five escape rooms fill the 3,100-square-foot Gilbert location, each built with movie-quality sets, custom props, and layered puzzles that reward curiosity and teamwork. Every room is designed and built at The Escape Game’s 60,000-square-foot production studio in Nashville before making its way to locations like Gilbert. Rooms run 60 minutes, giving players a tight clock to solve clues, crack codes, and complete missions.
Among the games is Murder with a Side of Meatballs. Instead of escaping, players must solve a murder inside a detailed Italian restaurant. Seven suspects, a crime scene full of clues, and a digital investigation board set the tone for a whodunnit.
“It’s our take on a murder mystery,” said Jol Seitz, The Escape Game’s content marketing coordinator. “You’re figuring out who did it, how it was done, and eliminating suspects. It’s in my top three escape rooms. I really love the room.”
The other four are The Heist, a tense art‑museum caper; The Depths, an eerie undersea laboratory adventure; Cosmic Crisis, a race to stop a black hole from devouring the solar system; and Ruins: Forbidden Treasure, a jungle expedition filled with ancient traps and hidden chambers.
The destination may be a first for Gilbert, but it marks the company’s 62nd location. Founded in 2014 in Nashville’s Berry Hill neighborhood, The Escape Game is also slated for Phoenix later this year, Seitz said.
She explained the team has been eyeing Arizona for years. Gilbert, she explains, checked every box: a booming community, a lively dining district and a built‑in audience hungry for new experiences.
“Gilbert really stood out to us,” she said. “It’s a great place for nights out, celebrations, and just having something fun to do on the weekends.”
Seitz, who has been with the company for nearly three years, said the growth of immersive entertainment has been remarkable to watch.
“The industry has had such a boom in the last five years,” she said. “As somebody who loves it, I think it’s awesome — and being part of it on this side is really cool.”
Prospective patrons needn’t be afraid of The Escape Game, which is a common misconception about the activity.
“There’s this idea of being locked in a room that can feel daunting,” she said. “But the reality is that the problem‑solving and team‑building really overpower any pressure. It’s a lot more fun and interactive than people expect.”
