Bambi Eloriaga-Amago
Last January 5, Breakout Philippines posted on their Facebook page an advisory stating that The Heist, one of their puzzle rooms, had been closed due “to reports of players seeing and hearing a child running through the walls of The Heist.”
According to Adrian Benipayo, Project Manager of Runtertainment Inc.—the group behind Breakout Philippines, Slidefest Philippines, and Outbreak Manila, the area where the incidents supposedly occur had been closed to the public pending an investigation. He further states that, as of now, The Heist will be closed indefinitely as they have yet to determine the cause behind the alleged supernatural phenomenon.
“All the info we have are from mga kwento lang (just stories) from participants and from our game marshals,” Benipayo explained. The investigation is just in-house for now, but Breakout apparently is open to have ghost hunters investigate the phenomena. That’s an option. Pero (But) of course we are still thinking of more logical ways kung pano nangyayari yung mga ganun. (how these things happen.)”
Benipayo further relates that the “ghostly experiences” vary. “Some people see, some others hear, others even smell things inside.”
A few people who have tried Breakout shared their own alleged supernatural experiences with The Heist on the advisory’s comments field.
“I knew there was something out of place when we were going through it, disembodied sounds and all…” Facebook User Misaka Minato recounted. “They didn’t sound like they were played through any electronic medium. Yet I’ve never seen the aforementioned ghost myself… But I’m sure I heard footsteps; running footsteps. Hallucinations or not, it was very, very real to me and my acquaintances at that time.”
User Art Caronongan, however, said otherwise. “Strange. I did the Heist alone and I encountered no hitch, so it must’ve been something that moved in recently… Could be a Residual haunt or an Intelligent haunt. The entity doesn’t seem malevolent nonetheless. As long as there are no high temperatures, no awful stench, there’s nothing to be afraid of, I guess… or is this a marketing strategy?”
More than a few netizens agreed, opining that it is nothing more than a marketing strategy.
“Maybe a marketing strat, ’cause then, even if that room is closed down, people will still come and try out the other rooms to see if the entity would move there,” Kat Sison-Rivera explained.
Rex DL, however, countered by explaining that “…by closing it down, they miss out on the potential of the rumor being spread… Closing the attraction almost certainly guarantees that majority of potential customers in the future will have second thoughts. Take a roller coaster for example na nasira at isinara (that has broken down and is closed) temporarily kasi may naaksidente or namatay. (because someone had an accident or died.) Kahit ayusin pa ng management ang (Even if management fixes the) ride, it would take years before the accident will be erased from the minds of the customers and they would trust the ride again.”
Marketing strategy or not, one thing is for certain, the “ghost” sure is drawing a lot of thrill-seekers to Breakout. “Yung room 13 is our most popular now. Katabi kasi siya ng Heist (Because it’s beside The Heist),” Benipayo stated.
Below is a video captured by the Breakout team as one of the teams played through The Heist. “Taken from the “laser room” of The Heist, if you will listen closely, there’s a quick whisper in the background.” Benipayo pointed out on his post on The Feed. “It seems like someone went close to the camera and whispered. Please take note that I increased and enhanced the sound quality so you can hear it better.”
The video below appears courtesy of Benipayo.
Breakout Philippines features themed rooms where participants work together in solving puzzles in order to escape the room before the allotted time runs out. They have branches in Katipunan and Mandaluyong.
