An outdoor escape game is an escape game played in the streets instead of a locked room: your team follows a story through a real city, solving puzzles at the places you walk past. If you are searching for one near you, the useful question is not which building to enter, but which city centre you want to spend two hours in.
City Game runs self-guided outdoor routes in cities across Europe, Asia, North America and Africa, so the nearest one is often closer than you think. The full list is on the page with every city where you can play a City Game.
What is an outdoor escape game?
It is a story-driven puzzle game played outdoors on your phone. Your team gets a case, a route and a series of challenges tied to real locations. Solving a puzzle reveals the next stop, and the story moves forward as you walk.
How it compares to an indoor escape room
- Space: a whole district instead of one room, so teams do not stand in each other is way.
- Time: you start when you want and pause whenever you like, instead of a fixed sixty-minute slot.
- Group size: several teams can play the same route at once and compare scores afterwards.
- Weather: the route is outdoors, so you dress for the day.
How to find one near you
- Pick the city you can reach comfortably. A compact historic centre works best.
- Check which concepts run there. Not every route exists in every city.
- Choose your date and starting time. Self-guided means you set both.
- Open the game on one phone per team at the starting point and begin.
Playing time, walking distance and languages differ per city and concept, so check the details on the city page before you book. The how to play page explains what happens after booking.
Which route suits your group?
If you want the escape-room feeling
Choose a case with a clear antagonist and a deadline, such as The Syndicate city escape game, where your team works against a criminal organisation using the city as its board.
If you want a mystery to solve
For groups that prefer detective work over a countdown, the Sherlock Holmes murder mystery game turns the streets into a crime scene with witnesses, clues and a suspect list.
If you are booking for colleagues
Outdoor routes suit team outings because they scale: split into teams of four, play the same story, compare results over a drink. Group bookings run through the page for companies and groups.
What to bring
- One charged phone per team with mobile data, plus a power bank for longer routes.
- Shoes for cobblestones, stairs and slopes. Accessibility differs per city, so check the city page if that matters for your group.
- Clothing for the forecast, because you are outside for the whole game.
- Two to six players per team.
Tips for a better game
- Stop walking before you read the phone, and step out of traffic first.
- Give the phone to a different player every few puzzles.
- Build in a coffee stop; the game does not run away.
- Start earlier in the day for quieter streets.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an outdoor escape game near me?
Check the city list first: routes run in hundreds of cities, so the nearest one is usually a city centre you already visit. If your own town is not listed, the closest larger city almost always is.
Do I need a guide or a host?
No. The route, the puzzles and the hints are all in the game on your phone, and you play at your own pace.
How long does it take?
Most routes take a couple of hours including breaks. Exact playing time is listed per city and concept.
Can we play in the rain?
Yes, with the right jacket. Because you choose the date and starting time yourself, you can also simply move the game to a drier day.
Is it suitable for children?
Families play these routes regularly, and mixed teams of adults and children usually work best. Check the walking distance on the city page if you are playing with young children.
Find your city and start
An outdoor escape game gives you the puzzle of an escape room and the daylight of a city walk, on your own schedule. Choose the city nearest to you and pick the story your group wants to solve.
The Syndicate
Solve puzzles and crack codes across the city. See the games ›
