In light of the vast amount of uncertainty that has directly impacted each and every one of us, Escape Authority feels strongly that it is our duty to do anything we can to help escape game venues across the country continue to create and maintain positive buzz. After exploring several options, we believe there’s no better way to achieve that goal than to launch our single most popular feature a full month early. It is our hope that doing so gives you, our readers, as well as the venues we enjoy the most something to look forward to each day that we’re all stuck at home – as well as add a bit of excitement back to our daily lives.
Escape Authority is thrilled to announced the third annual return of our Readers Key Tournament!
Vote for Your favorite venue in the united states!
The Power is in your hands!
We’ve awarded our fair share of 5 Key, and even 6 Key reviews – but now, for the third consecutive year, you have the power to award a title far more coveted – the one and only Readers Key – 2020 Favorite Venue honors!
(To qualify for this year’s tournament, a venue must have received at least one 5 Key or better review by today, March 29, 2019. Due to the continued uncertainty surrounding the operation of nonessential businesses across the country at the time of posting, we are waiving our typical requirement that all nominated games must remain open and operating through the duration of the tournament to be considered. Bracket placement was determined via a random number generator.)
The Readers Key Tournament will take place over four rounds spanning the next five weeks. Each First Round bracket features three venues going head to head, with the top two vote-getters advancing. Please note that this year, for the first time ever, there will be NO Second Chance vote, making each and every First Round contest matter more than ever before! Each Second Round bracket features four venues, with the top three vote-getters advancing. The Semi-Final Rounds feature the winners of the Red Bracket vs. the winners of the Green Bracket, as well as the winners of the Yellow Bracket vs. the winners of the Blue Bracket. The top five vote-getters from each Semi-Final match will advance, making our grand finale the Top Ten Best Venues as voted on by our readers.
Readers Key voting will occur on our Homepage, not Facebook page. One vote per person, per poll, per day is allowed, and no registration is required to participate. (And yes, participation is open to everyone, including venue owners and their employees.) A new poll opens each day at 3:00 pm EST.
Each First Round poll will remain open for exactly 24 hours, and allow one vote per person.
Second Round polls remain open for exactly 48 hours, and allow one vote per person per day (a total of two votes.)
Third Round Semi-Finals polls will remain open for 72 hours, and allow one vote per person per day (a total of three votes.)
The Final Round, beginning with the top ten venues in the country will remain open for 120 hours, and allow one vote per person per day (a total of five votes.) The lowest two vote-getters will be eliminated each day at 3:00 pm EST, building towards a head to head, one on one last day for our Readers Key Tournament!
Our newest EA Readers Key Winner will be announced on May 4, 2020. Once official, the winner will receive a dated Readers Key badge posted in all of their reviews on our site, as well as the right to post their award in their venue, on their own website and across their social media channels.
Each daily Readers Key post will be not only the place to vote for YOUR favorite venue, but also gives an opportunity to learn more about them through shared venue details, as well as a re-posting of each of their highest scoring reviews.
And best of all, you can cast your daily vote in our Readers Key Tournament for the very first time THIS SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2020 at 3:00 pm EST!
Please be sure to share your congratulations with all forty-eight of this year’s nominated venues. Please consider sharing your support for them across your social media platform of choice, and if you’re in a position to do so, give thought to purchasing a gift card from them now to enjoy once they’ve each reopened. Helping your favorite venue maintain a social media buzz can make all the difference in making it through these uncertain times.
Please click the link of your favorite venues’ sites to visit them directly, and show them your support in what ever way you prefer. All venues are listed in the identical randomly drawn order that placed them in their tournament brackets:
Steel Owl Productions | Maze Rooms | Unlockables
Cross Roads Escape Games | Escape My Room | Project: Escape
The Basement | Lost Games | Expedition Escape
The Final Door | Steal and Escape | Escape Thrill
The Perfect Escape | Level Games | 13th Gate Escape
Hatch Escapes | Codescape | Palace Games
Headz Up | The Escape Game | Mission Escape Games
Get The F Out | Extreme Escape | 5 Wits
Escape Plan Columbia | Escape the Netherworld | Olde City Escape Games
Gotham Escape Room | Scenario Escape Room | Escape Factor
60 to Escape | Mountain Time Escape Rooms | 60out
Locurio | Escape Artists | Hidden Donkey
Brooklyn Escape Room | Escape Artist Greenville | Escape Goat
Escapade Games | Rabbit Hole Escape Games | Komnata Quest
Trapped! | — | Fox in a Box
Cyph3r Escape Experience | Doldrick’s Escape Room | St. Louis Escape
Although the games I’ve personally designed are consistently very highly rated by both enthusiasts and newer players alike, I cannot in good conscience nominate an attraction I created. As such, the venues that call them home have been intentionally omitted from the initial forty-eight options in the Readers Key Tournament.
Show your support for Escape Authority and get social with us:
