An inspiring interview on cooperation and development history with Diana Jahn, Event Manager at FC Energie Cottbus!
Our serious games designer Marius Meißner is passionate about developing and implementing creative game concepts based on specific customer needs. This task led to the development of the first escape game in a soccer stadium in close cooperation with FC Energie Cottbus.
In this blog article, you will get an insight into the development history and find out how a really gripping stadium thriller was created in just a few weeks with interesting storytelling and based on initial ideas and graphics from FC Energie Cottbus event manager Diana Jahn and with the support of Teamgeist GmbH!
The innovative 90-minute escape game offers an innovative way to explore the LEAG stadium of FC Energie Cottbus with its exclusive areas and experience thrills in the process. Whether on the west stand, in VIP rooms or in the players’ tunnel – teams are challenged to rescue the mysterious championship trophy and solve gripping puzzles in the process.
Fans, companies, school classes, groups of friends and visitors to the city of Cottbus
Find out how the idea for the stadium thriller came about, what challenges there were in the development process and how the gripping escape game was developed together with espoto, which is already delighting more than just die-hard soccer fans.
Diana develops event concepts that invite and inspire visitors from various target groups to the LEAG stadium outside of match days. She also personally enjoys playing escape games, which gave her the idea for the first stadium thriller.
“In my role as event manager at FC Energie Cottbus, I develop various concepts to fill the stadium with life outside of match days. Among other things, we offer stadium tours and events for special occasions such as Christmas parties, Valentine’s Day, Women’s Day and summer festivals. The tours are particularly popular with younger children, but we have also identified potential to make them even more interesting for teenagers and adults.”
“Yes, exactly. As a passionate escape game fan, the idea of developing a stadium thriller was born at some point. Initial notes on a possible story were followed by some graphics, but the question remained: who could realize these ideas? Unfortunately, the first offer we received was far beyond our financial means. A few weeks later, a decisive moment came about almost by chance: Sebastian Zieler from Teamgeist GmbH paid us a visit.
The company had already impressed our team with a city rally. On that occasion, we got talking and exchanged ideas about a possible escape game in the stadium, which would revolve around a stolen trophy.”
“Sebastian was immediately enthusiastic and explained that espoto GmbH could ideally implement the project. He also offered that Teamgeist GmbH would support it financially. Shortly afterwards, I met Marius Meissner from espoto and we embarked on this exciting project together. It was the beginning of a successful collaboration that resulted in a unique experience for our stadium.”
“Really great, it was very collaborative and dynamic right from the start. We kind of passed the ball to each other and came up with good solutions through a constant exchange of ideas. Whenever we were stuck at one point or another, Marius came up with new suggestions. For example, he presented us standardized puzzle versions that worked well based on experience.”
“Correct, and that was important and right. The game design and the proven puzzle structures accelerated the process enormously and were a great advantage in the development of the game. In addition, espoto provided the technical expertise that took the project to a new level.
The serious games scavenger hunt app they developed complemented the game perfectly. While the initial idea was to work more with haptic elements, the digital component with GPS tracking and QR codes added a modern and exciting dimension. These technical “gimmicks” have made the gaming experience even more interactive, exciting and thrilling. Really good usability.”
“In our escape game, the digital experience is complemented by a series of carefully designed haptic elements that offer players a tangible and immersive adventure. One particularly striking element is the robust metal suitcase with the Energie Cottbus logo.
This case serves as the starting point and contains all the essential materials the teams need for the game. Inside the metal case are the starting files, a pen and a piece of paper, as well as the tablet that is used for the digital aspects of the game.
Each team is also equipped with a radio. The very moment the participants pick up the case, a special atmosphere is created and the anticipation of what is to come is heightened.
This combination of physical and digital elements ensures that players can immerse themselves in the game not only mentally but also physically, making the whole experience even more impressive and memorable.”
“Women in particular are surprised at how much fun the escape game is. Especially if the participants are not die-hard soccer fans. At the beginning, the women in the groups are sometimes a little cautious, but once the game has started, they are also very enthusiastic about the story.
It can also be observed that the participants like to look behind the scenes and are particularly good at thinking outside the box when it comes to the puzzles and are generally very motivated. We are particularly pleased about this, as it was always a crucial question during development: how can we design a gripping stadium thriller that is also fun for participants who otherwise have little contact with soccer and at the same time puzzles real fans and sparks excitement?”
“Definitely! The escape game in the Energie Cottbus stadium is a new, exciting attraction for visitors to the city and enriches the tourism offer in the region.
Travelers now have the opportunity to experience a unique adventure away from the traditional sights that promotes both excitement and team spirit. The importance of this new offer has also been highlighted in regional media and there have already been reports recommending the escape game as a highlight for tourists.
Such offers can make Cottbus even more attractive as a tourist destination, as it not only offers cultural and historical experiences, but also modern and interactive adventures.”
We would like to thank FC Energie Cottbus for their trust and Diana Jahn for the creative, competent and uncomplicated cooperation! And we are delighted that this special escape game is enriching the FC Energie Cottbus club and inspiring visitors to the LEAG stadium. President Sebastian Lemke commented:
“Our stadium has made history – now it will be the setting for a unique adventure which cannot be found in any other stadium. With the escape game, we are combining tradition, passion and puzzle fun to experience our club in a completely new way. Together we solve the mystery, just like our soccer team does on the soccer field: with team spirit, brains and passion for Energie Cottbus!”
Translated quote from Sebastian Lemke, President of FC Energie Cottbus
By the way, there’s more, because we are currently developing another escape game in collaboration with FC Energie Cottbus, which is specially designed to meet the needs of large groups and companies.
This project underlines the possibilities that arise when experts in organizations develop passionate ideas for their target group and we at espoto successfully implement them with our expertise – and on the basis of our serious games software.
It shows how tailor-made experiences can be created that could also inspire you and your team to realize your own escape games for your company premises or sports facilities. Such experiences strengthen team spirit and offer an unforgettable adventure at the same time. Let yourself be inspired by these possibilities and contact us to develop an individual escape game for your organization. We look forward to designing creative and exciting experiences with you. Just get in touch with us here!
The interview with Diana Jahn was conducted by Christina Engel
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