October 28, 2025
Chattanooga, TN—Dark Escape Games has announced their new fully-automated concept, Five-Minute Escape Cabinets. Clown Around and Pyramid Scheme are the first two cabinets in the product line, and they will debut at AVS Companies Booth #1918 at IAAPA Expo 2025.
The Five-Minute Escape Cabinets occupy a small footprint and require no staff members to operate. Expansion Scenarios are also scheduled to be released annually and will provide a refresh to existing cabinets with a new adventure, including new puzzles, props and audio tracks.
“I’ve always been captivated with storytelling and the desire to really immerse and engage people in a visceral experience,” Sean Tyler, CEO of Dark Escape Games said. “In the end, what we’ve created is an entire world in just twenty square feet, one where you truly feel like a character in the story.”
“It’s been a pleasure working with Sean on his new and innovative escape game concepts,” Tony Shamma, AVS Vice President of Sales said. “The Clown Around and Pyramid Scheme units are unattended escape rooms that are not only exciting and scary fun to play, but will create an unexpected attraction in your location.”
Clown Around is a finalist for the IAAPA Expo Brass Ring Award for Best New Product and that cabinet, along with Pyramid Scheme, will both begin shipping in Q1 2026. Those looking to place orders should contact AVS Companies at (847) 439-9400 or sales@avscompanies.com.
About Dark Escape Games
The founders of Dark Escape Games, while new to the amusement industry, bring over fifteen years of manufacturing expertise as leaders in the game room lighting sector. Combining this experience with a strong creative background in designing and producing large-scale props and replicas for the Sci-Fi and Horror genres, the team is now channeling those talents into immersive entertainment. With a focus on innovation, craftsmanship, and thematic storytelling, Dark Escape Games is poised to make a grand entrance into the amusement world. Learn more online at www.darkescapegames.com.
About AVS COMPANIES:
AVS Companies (AVS) is a distributor of amusement, gaming and vending equipment headquartered in Elk Grove Village, IL. Founded in Chicago in 1971, AVS has established itself as the preeminent full-service gaming, amusement, and vending distributor in the US for over 50 years with offices in Illinois, Minnesota, Texas and Wisconsin. AVS offers a complete range of services to their customers and the manufacturers they represent, from the sale of equipment and parts to comprehensive repair and refurbishing. More information on AVS is available at www.avscompanies.com or www.facebook.com/avscompanies.
Dark Escape Games Launches Innovative Five-Minute Escape Cabinets Featuring New Titles Clown Around and Pyramid Scheme
December 1, 2025
Chattanooga, TN— After an unbelievable debut at IAAPA in Orlando last month the team at DEG has listened to the feedback and is excited to announce some new updates!
First, all Cabinets will now ship with an integrated "REDEMPTION MODE", allowing the owner to flip an internal switch that will reward winning players with credits!
Second, "durability" was a concern that came up from several potential buyers, and being new to the industry we understand some hesitancy with such a new concept. So we're implementing a DURABILITY GUARANTEE with every new Cabinet.
"Our Six Month Durability Guarantee"
We'll replace any prop, puzzle, or cabinet part that is damaged from normal or even rough use with a new or upgraded part completely free of charge for the initial six months of ownership.
Excluding deliberate damage, vandalization or damage from weapons or tools.
And last, upon request from the international community, a Cabinet can now ship with a DUAL LANGUAGE upgrade, so players can press a button before game play to choose from two different language options for the audio tracks during gameplay. English, French, Spanish, and German are currently available, with more in the works.
All of us at Dark Escape Games would like to thank everyone who stopped by to try out the games and spread the word, I truly believe they were the talk of the show. And a huge thank you to Keith and the team at AVS for making our first IAAPA happen!
IAAPA Feedback leads to new REDEMPTION MODE, DURABILITY GUARANTEE, and DUAL LANGUAGE options!
January 8, 2026
Chattanooga, TN—DEG has spent the months since IAAPA working to address the biggest concern buyers had at the show, "replayability", and we're ecstatic to say we've cracked it!
Pyramid Scheme is keeping all the best gameplay elements, players still must reach into the Mummy's chest and pull out his vital organs and return them to the sacred jars, but now which jar each is destined for is randomly generated. And the combination of puzzles the player must complete to learn the answer is now randomly generated as well.
These upgrades will be included in every Pyramid Scheme Cabinet that ships and will greatly increase the times that players will return to try to stop Amenhotep Ra from rising again!
Contact AVS Distributing now to be sure you get your 5 Minute Escape Cabinet in Q2!