Escape Simulator News

Following the success of the first World Tour, the biggest community project is getting its sequel.

After returning from your globe-spanning adventure in The Collab: World Tour, Volume 1, one final mystery awaits: a hidden itinerary... and a key to the locked basement of your grandparents’ house.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
It’s time to continue the story and complete the journey your grandparents started.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3467466395



Before we continue, make sure to check out all the previous Collab projects on Steam Workshop!

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2812287004

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2985569031

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3318371149

[h3]✈️ Travel to 5 New Countries:[/h3]



Solve puzzles and explore immersive environments, each crafted with cultural care and detail:

🦙 Peru – The Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, built by Franch & Robin
🥟 Poland – A colorful village, built by Elkondo & Bartololomeo
🪘 Sierra Leone – A bustling town square, built by Brushstroke
🍁 Canada – The CN Tower in Toronto, built by Zesty
💃 Spain – A rustic haven in Córdoba, built by Eureka Paprika

🏡 Plus, revisit “Home” by Brushstroke & Robin
⭐ And don’t miss the bonus content from Wollo & ChazzyB!

[h3]🔍 Features & Info:[/h3]

🕵️ Players: 1–4
⏲️ Playtime: 2–3 hours
➡️ English walkthrough available (Press H in-game)
▶️ Video walkthrough available on YouTube
🖍️ Colorblind friendly
🔊 Sound recommended, not required
🧠 No external knowledge needed
📕 Some reading required
🗣️ Fully translated in all Escape Simulator supported languages
👪 Family friendly
🎮 Not Steam Deck compatible
👓 Not optimized for VR

[h3]🎬 Behind the Scenes[/h3]



This massive project was made possible thanks to the combined efforts of a passionate, international team:

🛕 Peru – Franch & Robin
🥟 Poland – Bartololomeo & Elkondo
🪘 Sierra Leone – Brushstroke
🍁 Canada – Zesty Mordant
💃 Spain – Eureka Paprika
🏡 Home – Brushstroke & Robin
⭐ Bonus content – Wollo & ChazzyB
🔧 3D Modeling – Belgi
📖 Story & 🎙️ Narration – Robin
⌨️ LUA Scripting – GG3L
🎵 Soundtrack – Cryptic1
🌍 Translations – Eureka Paprika, Robin, Wollo, ChatGPT
🤝 Project Management – Brushstroke & Zesty Mordant
💪 Additional support – namo_krub, apa-games, Dr. Krank

Play The Collab: World Tour, Volume 2 now and uncover the last secrets of your grandparents’ epic journey!

Available now in the Escape Simulator Workshop!
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3467466395

After two years of development, we’re excited to give you a first hands-on look at Escape Simulator 2.

Play the free demo of Escape Simulator 2 now:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3499320/Escape_Simulator_2_Demo/

Watch the new gameplay trailer:
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

The demo includes the tutorial and the Courtyard – the first room from the Dracula’s Castle level. It shows the new direction we’re taking with the sequel: more atmospheric, more detailed, and bigger in scale. The tone is darker and more mysterious, but it’s not a horror game – it’s about immersion, exploration, and clever puzzles.

Play solo or in co-op with up to 8 players. Drop-in multiplayer is now supported, so your friends can join or leave without restarting the session. There’s also auto-saving, meaning progress is saved as you go – no need to finish everything in one sitting.

This is an early alpha version, so you may encounter bugs or performance issues. Thank you for your understanding – we’re working hard to improve every aspect of the game.

Escape Simulator 2 is our biggest leap yet – with a rebuilt engine, deeper mechanics, and an upgraded visual experience. Your feedback during this stage is incredibly valuable. We’re listening, so feel free to leave a comment, join our Discord, or reach out via our socials!



Escape Simulator 2 is a huge leap for us – both in tone and technical scope – so we’d really appreciate hearing what you think. You can leave feedback in the comments below, join our Discord, or reach out via our socials!

-Pine team

Are you still working on Escape Simulator 1?
A: Yes! We are working on a free update and new DLC at the moment. More info soon! ;)

Q: When is the full game coming out?
A: We haven’t announced a release date yet, but it’s coming soon. We’ll make sure to give everyone a heads-up when the time comes.

Q: How many rooms will the full game have?
A: 12 rooms in total, spread across 3 themed levels – Dracula’s Castle, Starship EOS, and The Cursed Treasure. We are already working on more rooms that are coming post-release.

Q: VR when?
A: We hope at launch. If not, then later as a free update.

Q: Will it come to consoles?
A: We're starting with Steam (with Steam Deck support), and we’re planning other platforms after that.

Q: Will Escape Simulator 2 have Workshop support at launch?
A: Yes!

Q: What engine is it running on?
A: It’s made in Unity, but with an overhauled setup compared to the first game – new lighting system, better interactions, and a more robust multiplayer backend.

Q: Does the demo support multiplayer?
A: Yep – full co-op up to 8 players, just like the main game will.

Q: I found a bug / performance issue in the demo – where do I report it?
A: If you can, send us your player.log file via Discord, email, or the Steam forums. It helps a lot.

Q: Where’s the player.log file?
A: It’s in:
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Pine Studio\Escape Simulator 2

Q: Are you still supporting Escape Simulator 1?
A: Absolutely – new content is already in the works, both free rooms and DLCs.

Q: Will the game support controllers?
A: Not in the demo, but it’s something we’re actively working on for the full release.

Q: How much will it cost?
A: We haven’t finalized pricing yet, but we want to keep it fair and accessible like with the first game.

Pine team

Builders, you’ve outdone yourselves! This was one of the best Build-a-Room contests ever. The challenge? Create an escape room using at least three objects from The Artifact Pack. The results? Absolutely stunning!✨

A massive thank you to everyone who participated. Your creativity, puzzle design, and storytelling blew us away. Special thanks to our guest judge, Wollo, for joining the Pine Studio team in evaluating all the incredible entries.

Now, let’s get to the winners!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Experienced Builders Category[/h2]

🥇 1st Place: The Dreamweaver's Cottage by BrushStroke – $500 cash prize + 2 keys for the upcoming Escape Simulator DLC

We had a three-way tie for second place! Instead of forcing a decision, we thought it would be fair to give out three second-place prizes! In no particular order:

🥈 Temple of the Wooden Warriors by Dr Krank – $100 Steam gift card + 2 keys for the upcoming Escape Simulator DLC
🥈 The Secret of The Golden Bread by Bartololomeo – $100 Steam gift card + 2 keys for the upcoming Escape Simulator DLC
🥈 Eclipse by KirbyDee – $100 Steam gift card + 2 keys for the upcoming Escape Simulator DLC

[h2]Rookie Builders Category[/h2]
🥇 1st Place: The Fable of the Frog King by Ravn – $500 cash + 2 keys for the upcoming Escape Simulator DLC.


🥈 2nd Place: Pineville Zoo: Animal Care Expert by Ubi Popo – $100 Steam gift card + 2 keys for the upcoming Escape Simulator DLC


🏅Community Award won awesome The Curse of the Golden Monkey by Kukelia with more than 150 of your votes!

[h2]Honorable Mentions[/h2]
While these entries didn’t take the top spots, we want to recognize their outstanding creativity and effort! ✨

• A Stone's Throw Away by Eureka Paprika
  
• Artefacts of our Past by apa-games
  
• No One Leaves by GG3L
  
• Temple of the Golden Monkey by Rogan
  
• The Price of Adventure by Tenaciousmc
  

Congratulations to all the winners! 👏

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out these amazing rooms in the Workshop or directly in our in-game list! We can’t wait to see what you build next.

[h2]One more thing…[/h2]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
If you love community-made escape rooms, keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming masterpiece! The Collab: World Tour Vol 2 is on the horizon, promising an unforgettable escape journey across the globe. It’s coming out soon, so you have just enough time to dive into World Tour Vol 1 and get ready for the next adventure. 🌍

Happy escaping!
Pine team

...or is it #4? Not sure, but here you go:

[h3]Fixes[/h3]

• Cats in Time: Fixed a bug causing the pizza puzzle to stutter when solved.
  
• Cats in Time: Red batteries now display correctly as red in the inventory.
  
• Treasure Island: Implemented realistic digging mechanics specifically for VR gameplay.
  
• Treasure Island: Resolved an issue where only one part of a combined paper could be selected.
  
• Treasure Island: Digged-out markers now have colliders to prevent items from getting hidden inside them.
  
• Treasure Island: Chest turnables are now easier to control.
  

[h3]Mayan DLC Fixes[/h3]

• Jaguar’s Gate: Fixed a bug where the golden ball could get desynced in certain situations.
  
• Jaguar’s Gate: Resolved an issue where a giant UI icon would appear when another VR player was using the metal detector.
  
• Serpent’s Crossing: Fixed a visual bug where pointing a flashlight at the sky would turn it black.
  

[h3]VR Updates[/h3]

• Fixed an issue where voice chat volume wouldn’t function properly on some platforms.
  
• Resolved a bug where pinned items could attempt to enter a slot while still pinned, leading to a glitched state.
  
• Improved the responsiveness of the "Walkthrough" button in community rooms, making it easier to interact with.
  
• Adjusted item sizes across multiple levels for better usability and readability.
  

[h3]Meta Quest Updates[/h3]

• New Official Level: Cats in Time! 🐱
  
• New Community Level: King Tut’s Tomb Escape! 🏺
  

-Pine team

Dear Builders, are you ready for the challenge?

This time, we’re introducing a unique twist: all participants must incorporate objects from "The Artifact Pack" into their escape rooms. With this requirement, we’re excited to see how you creatively use these elements in puzzles, storytelling, and design. Will you craft a high-tech lab, an ancient vault, a futuristic bunker, or something completely unexpected? The choice is yours!



Also, for the first time, we have a guest judge! Wollo, one of the creators behind the Mystery Pack Community Contest, will be joining the Pine Studio team to evaluate your entries.

[h2]🏆 Prizes Galore![/h2]
To make this competition even more exciting, we are once again featuring several categories to ensure that both seasoned and first-time builders have a chance to shine.

[h3]💪Experienced Builders Category[/h3]
This is the main event, open to participants who already have one or more rooms in their portfolio. The top prizes include:

• 1st place: $500 cash + 2 keys for the upcoming ES DLC
  
• 2nd place: $100 Steam gift card + 2 keys for the upcoming ES DLC
  

[h3]🐣Rookie Builders Category[/h3]
Is this your first time competing in one of our Build-A-Room contests? Fantastic! You have a chance to win:

• 1st place: $500 cash + 2 keys for the upcoming ES DLC
  
• 2nd place: $100 Steam gift card + 2 keys for the upcoming ES DLC
  

[h3]🧑‍🤝‍🧑Community Award[/h3]
After the submission deadline, we'll open a poll for the community to vote on their favorite room. The winner of the Community Award will receive:

• Community Award: $100 Steam gift card + 2 keys for the upcoming ES DLC
  

[h2]🎨 Contest Requirements[/h2]

• Use “The Artifact Pack”: Your room must feature at least 3 of the 10 objects from the pack. These should be integrated meaningfully (e.g., as part of puzzles or storytelling). You may resize or retexture objects, but their essence must remain recognizable.
  
• Using more than three objects is allowed, but will not score additional points.
  
• The objects can be resized and retextured as long as their essence is maintained (i.e., don’t retexture or resize them to make them completely unrecognizable).
  
• The room must be started from scratch. Reusing existing rooms or parts thereof is not allowed. However, publicly available assets and scripts may be used.
  
• The room must include an in-game walkthrough covering the solution to each puzzle.
  
• Rooms must have a video walkthrough.
  
• Puzzles must be colorblind-friendly and hearing-impaired-friendly.
  
• The room must be submitted before February 17th, 8AM CET/2AM EST. Bug-fixing is allowed at any point after submission.
  

[h2]📑 Rules[/h2]

• You can only submit one room.
  
• Multiple builders can collaborate on a single entry, but only one prize will be awarded to the submitter.
  
• The room must be an escape room.
  
• Ideal playtime should be under 30 minutes, but longer experiences are allowed.
  
• The room can be as big as you wish.
  
• You are allowed to fix bugs after submission, but you cannot resubmit an entirely different room.
  
• All references to existing IPs must be edited, parodied, or modified to infer a likeness without directly copying the original IP.
  
  Use models, textures, sounds, and other assets that are either:
  
• Creative Commons (CC) with proper attribution
  
• From the Escape Simulator library
  
• Licensed content that you have legally acquired
  
• Give credit where needed.
  
• Copies of other players' rooms are not eligible.
  
• Keep it fun and clean! No profanity, racism, hate speech, sexually suggestive content, etc. Any offensive content will result in disqualification.
  
• AI-generated content is allowed, but its usage should not compromise originality or puzzle quality.
  
• The Pine team and guest moderator Wollo will judge the Experienced and Rookie Builder categories, while the Community Award will be decided by a community vote.
  

[h2]📢 How to Enter[/h2]

To submit your room, make it available (public or unlisted) and share a link in the #💾competition-submissions channel on the Pine Studio Discord server. Remember, you can only submit one room!

The submission deadline is February 17th, 8AM CET/2AM EST We'll then review all the submitted rooms and announce the winners during a special livestream [date to be announced]. Stay tuned for more details on the stream!

[h2]📌 Judging Criteria[/h2]

• Puzzle Design – Logic, originality, and engagement of puzzles
  
• Room Design – Theme, aesthetics, progression, and atmosphere
  
• Object Use – Creative and meaningful integration of at least three Artifact Pack objects
  
• Playability – Deductions for bugs, technical issues, or violations of contest rules (e.g., IP infringement, colorblind accessibility, incomplete walkthroughs)
  

💡 Building Tips

• Keep it simple! Aim for a playtime of 15-30 minutes.
  
• Test thoroughly and get feedback from the community.
  
• Focus on quality over quantity – A few great puzzles are better than many mediocre ones.
  
• Consider accessibility features like colorblind and hearing-impaired options.
  
• Most importantly, have fun! Creativity and enjoyment are what make great escape rooms.
  

We can't wait to see your Artifact Pack-inspired rooms!
Happy building!

-Pine Team