The Psych Ward Update

A note from Co-Owner and Creative Director, Madison Rhoades:

Dear Cross Roads Fans, Escape Room Enthusiasts, and future guests,

I want to apologize for how long it has taken to open Psych Ward. I know this is something we promised you a year ago, but it will be worth the wait! The game has gone through a lot of changes, and we are so excited for what it has become.

We have gone through so many revisions of this game. We have been designing the Psych Ward for two years now and building it for one year. To play test the game we have created board game scenarios, acted it out like a game of Dungeons and Dragons, and have tried to think of every possible scenario and how it could be resolved. 

That is why we didn’t open as planned last year. We found a major flaw in the game design so we put a complete halt on our build. Designing it has been one of the hardest puzzles I have ever come across. We were determined to create something new that changed the industry. The Psych Ward is part escape room, part interactive theatre, and part strategy game. Finding the perfect mesh between all of those, adding a trust and betrayal element, making individualized experiences, and keeping it easy to understand is a very difficult puzzle… and probably why no one has done it yet.

I thought it would never end. But I am happy we paused when we did. I’m glad we took a deeper look into the game and found its flaws before we opened. The game we have for you now is so much greater than anything we could have imagined a year ago.

With all that being said, I am happy to announce that The Psych Ward is indeed happening. For real this time. Get ready for something new because Psych Ward opens October, 2018!

Here is all the info I can share with you right now:

The Psych Ward takes place in a 1970s insane asylum run by Dr. Griffin. It is a strategic game of trust and betrayal, so choose your teammates wisely! Are you familiar with the card game Werewolf, Mafia, or Donner Dinner Party? I would recommend brushing up on those to get your bluffing face at 100%.

The game will be private and is for 5-8 players. For the trust/ betrayal aspect to work, a minimum of 5 people is required for the game to function.

Because of the extreme psychological testing that will take place, it will be open for ages 16+ (no exceptions). The game is an hour long and is point based. The difficulty of the game depends on you and the cooperation of your teammates.

Official synopsis: Sane or Insane? Trust or Betray? These are the questions Dr. Griffin wants you to answer. He has created a social experiment for a select group of patients. Some of these patients he believes are sane. Others, completely insane. Like lab rats, he has put you inside his twisted experiment and challenges you to figure out who to trust and who to cross. But can Dr. Griffin even be trusted?

Thank you again for your patience. We look forward to showing you this crazy game!

Sincerely,
Madison Rhoades

If you are with a media outlet and looking to do an article on The Psych Ward, please fill out our press questionnaire to qualify for a press pass (limited availability).