ERChamp 2025: Where the Escape Room World Came Together

Sofia, Bulgaria became the beating heart of the escape room world this October as the ERChamp 2025 World Escape Room Championship unfolded - a spectacular mix of competition, creativity, and community.
Twelve international teams battled through two intricately designed escape rooms built with modular “WonderWallz” technology, transported all the way from Poland, while fans worldwide followed every second through multi-angle livestreams.

But ERChamp wasn’t just about competition - it was about connection. Alongside the championship, the ERChamp Conference brought together leading voices from around the world, sharing knowledge, passion, and inspiration.

Watch the full livestream here 👉 ERChamp 2025 Finals Livestream on YouTube

🎤 A Global Stage for Creative Minds

I had the honor of being one of the conference speakers, alongside incredible people like Nataša Potočnik from Enigmarium (Slovenia), Verone (Babis) from Don’t Take a Breath (Greece), Vasilis from Lockhill (Greece), Zoli from Zolitopia (UK), and Jan Gheyle from De Gouden Kooi (Belgium).

Each presentation carried its own message - from emotional personal journeys to practical insights about design, storytelling, and leadership in the escape room industry.

My talk focused on software in escape rooms - not just booking tools, but the systems behind the scenes: controllers, websites, automation, and synchronization. I emphasized how technology, when used thoughtfully, enhances immersion and player emotion.

“Players remember feelings, not padlocks.
You can design the smartest puzzle in the world, but if it doesn’t make people feel something, they’ll forget it within a week. What makes escape rooms memorable isn’t just what players do - it’s what they feel while doing it.
And that feeling is built from four key ingredients working together: audio, lighting, special effects, and synchronization.”

🌱 Growing Like Mycelium

Nataša Potočnik’s presentation was beautifully metaphorical. She compared the escape room industry to mycelium - the underground network connecting mushrooms.
Events like ERChamp, she said, extend this mycelium - growing our connections, knowledge, and creativity.

And, as she humorously pointed out: “Mushrooms have rooms in them, and fungi have fun in them!”
Her team’s success in gamifying museums and theaters reminded everyone that the spirit of escape rooms can transform far more than just games.

🎭 Stories That Stay With You

Verone (Babis) from Don’t Take a Breath escape room in Athens delivered an emotional talk about his journey - starting with no money, just belief and determination.
He spoke about his family, his struggles, and how he sees himself not as a business owner but as an actor inside his own escape room.

I’ve known Babis for about five years. The first time we traveled to Athens, we were the first foreign team to ever play his game in English. He was nervous, but he nailed it - and that moment may have sparked his international journey. Since then, I’ve returned to replay Don’t Take a Breath three times, and each time it still gives me chills.

🕯️ Lessons from the Best

Vasilis from Lockhill - whose Chapel and Catacombs was ranked #1 escape room in the world in the 2022 TERPECA awards - spoke about managing expectations once you’ve reached the top.
He explained that after winning, every player walks in with sky-high expectations and preconceived stories, and how maintaining that level requires constant innovation in audio, lighting, timing, acting and decorations.

Jan Gheyle from De Gouden Kooi, creators of Han’s Revenge (ranked #11 in TERPECA 2024), shared how unconventional ideas - like a revenge-seeking air conditioning technician - can become world-class experiences when executed with passion.

Zoli from Zolitopia, who runs the longest-operating escape room in the world (13 years!), discussed team management and delegation. His message was simple but powerful:

“You can’t do everything yourself. Trust your team, delegate, and focus on what you do best.”

And finally, Bartosz Idzikowski, one of the co-founders of ERChamp, opened the event with a look at its evolution and future.
Next year marks ERChamp’s 10th anniversary, and it will return to its birthplace - Wrocław, Poland. You can bet the Keyhowl team will be there.

🌍 A Community Reunited

Beyond the presentations, ERChamp 2025 brought together escape room owners, players, and enthusiasts from across continents.
I met creators from Japan building their own booking platform (we exchanged ideas and found we share many of the same challenges), enthusiasts from the U.S. and all over Europe, and countless passionate individuals who simply love the craft.

We shared ideas, replayed rooms, and built stronger bonds - not just as colleagues, but as friends.

🏆 Championship Highlights

Twelve international teams faced two advanced rooms mixing logic, communication, and physical puzzles. The master painting puzzle in room one became the biggest bottleneck, challenging even the veterans.

🏅 Winners:

• 🥇 Dziękuj Krystianowi, że do drużyny Cię przyjął (Poland)
• 🥈 Los Kotitos (Switzerland)
• 🥉 Comment est votre blanquette (France)

The technical production behind the championship was flawless - from motion sensors and automated light cues to synchronized sound and effects.
ERChamp once again proved why it’s the world’s premier escape room competition.

💬 Final Thoughts

ERChamp 2025 was far more than a championship.
It was a celebration of creativity, emotion, and connection - proof that escape rooms are not just games but living art forms that bring people together.

A huge thanks to the ERChamp team for organizing this unforgettable event, for giving me the opportunity to speak, and for uniting the industry once again.

See you all in Wrocław, 2026 🏆
– Ivan, Keyhowl