The trashcan can now be opened from any distance, allowing for easier interaction from afar.
The trashcan item bubble now scales with distance, making it simpler to grab items from a distance.
Level Fixes & Enhancements:
Versus Mode: Fixed a bug where rooms would occasionally disappear when playing in VR.
Versus: Beginner: Fixed an issue that allowed players to manually open doors in the final room.
Versus: Expert: Enhanced interaction with the first room’s puzzle (shape connection puzzle) for a smoother experience.
Oculus Updates:
Added two new official rooms: Versus: Beginner and Versus: Expert!
Improved overall performance across all official rooms for a better Oculus experience.
Enjoy!
Talos Update Hotfix #2
General Updates:
🎃 New Halloween Theme (Menu)
Level Version in Lobby – Now, see the current level version directly in the lobby for easier tracking.
Multiplayer Fixes – Resolved an issue with restarts in cross-platform multiplayer games.
Cross-Platform Lobby Fix – Fixed a bug where Steam Workshop would incorrectly appear in cross-platform lobbies.
Character Fix – Female western hairstyle no longer disappears on certain levels.
VR Updates:
Improved Item Throwing – New item throwing algorithm (Toggle in Options > VR > Other if you’d like to switch it off).
Larger Text for Easy Reading – Version info in the main menu and lobby is now bigger and clearer.
Floating Item Fix – Resolved an issue where items would sometimes float if another player dropped them.
Level Fixes:
The Graveyard Room – Magic wand now registers drawing points accurately when drawing.
Talos Level – VR players will no longer see unintended papers in their inventory.
Meta Quest Updates:
Graveyard room is now available – Get ready for thrills with our brand-new Halloween-themed room!
Community Room: The Letters Room – Check out this fresh addition to our community room collection!
Our newest Community Picks: Autumn Edition
Hey everyone!
We’re back with another quest to find the brightest stars among the community rooms, and we’ve got some exciting new picks for you.
This time, we’re kicking things off with the top three rooms from the Mystery Pack Community Challenge, the latest creative effort from our amazing Discord community.
The Top 3 from the Mystery Pack Community Challenge
So, what was The Mystery Pack Community Challenge all about? The challenge invited creators to design unique escape rooms using at least four of ten provided objects which had to be meaningfully integrated into puzzles or storytelling.
Let's see which rooms were the best!
The Human Institute of Having Hands
In this community room, you and a friend participate in quirky experiments to learn everything about having human hands. Yep. Designed for two to four players, you’ll be split up and must communicate through voice chat or text to complete the tests. Created in under 18 days for the 2024 Community Challenge, this co-op room features fun, hands-on puzzles. While some players encountered minor technical issues, the overall experience was praised for its creativity and engaging gameplay.
In Miasma: The Cursed Amulet by Dr Krank, you are drawn into the mystery surrounding an ancient amulet buried with Esmeralda, the wife of Edmund Davies. Some believe the amulet, a gift from her husband before her sudden death, is cursed. Recently reported missing, you must sneak into the Davies' mansion to uncover the truth and possibly claim the amulet for yourself. The room offers a rich narrative, atmospheric environments, and creative use of props. Players have praised the immersive story and ambiance, though some encountered a minor issue with item placement that required a restart. Ideal for single or multiplayer sessions, this medium-hard room offers an engaging 1-hour experience.
GetOffMyBeard is behind this community room gem, where you are trapped inside the tomb of King Tut, with puzzles and surprises that hold the key to your freedom. Time is short, and you must offer four sacrifices or risk being trapped forever. This room is part of the Mystery Pack Community Challenge and features contributions from several creators, including an amulet by Brushstroke and a Magic 8 Ball by Arnau Llobera Donoso. While the room’s atmosphere and puzzles were praised, some players found it difficult to interpret certain symbols without a guide.
SuperFriiz made one the best-looking rooms ever made in the Escape Simulator. "Enter a dimly lit, forgotten space where the air is thick with secrets. At the heart of the room stands an old, intricately designed carousel, its horses still as if waiting for something—or someone—to set them in motion."
In Artblocked by Endermanifest, you and a friend must work together to escape a mysterious studio. After returning from vacation, an artist finds their studio subtly altered and, soon after, locked inside by mechanical gears. One player takes on the role of The Artist, navigating the space and solving puzzles, while the other plays The Computer, remotely gathering information to assist. With a focus on teamwork and communication, both players must collaborate closely to solve the puzzles and escape the eerie studio.
Zeekman1400 and Kulprit2 brought In Silence We Fall, that takes you aboard a long-abandoned deep space station where your mission is to uncover its mysterious fate. Set in an atmosphere-rich environment, the room blends eerie, isolated spaces with both digital and analog technology. Armed with limited tools, you’ll solve puzzles and uncover cryptic clues as the story unravels with each unlocked door. The emotional weight of the narrative is heightened by haunting audio recordings and a sense of finality to the station’s silence. While designed for 2+ players, the room also accommodates solo play, offering an equally immersive experience.
Our community member, cl0mar is the author of Elemental Temple Escape. You enter an ancient temple where the forces of wind, fire, water, and earth converge. Your goal is to retrieve the powerful Elemental Amulet, navigating through mystical puzzles tied to these elements. Created for the Mystery Pack Community Challenge, the room has been praised for its engaging concept, beautiful design, and well-crafted puzzles. It's a short, cozy, and accessible adventure that players find easy to understand and fun to play. you enter an ancient temple where the forces of wind, fire, water, and earth converge. Your goal is to retrieve the powerful Elemental Amulet, navigating through mystical puzzles tied to these elements. Created for the Mystery Pack Community Challenge, the room has been praised for its engaging concept, beautiful design, and well-crafted puzzles. It's a short, cozy, and accessible adventure that players find easy to understand and fun to play.
Calling all Pine Creators: Nominate Your Top Rooms!
Here's a friendly nudge to nominate your favorite rooms on the Pine Discord server! Head over to the #share-your-room channel and use these reactions to show your love:
Thanks you for playing new The Talos Principle DLC! We've been working hard to address the issues you've reported and improve the experience. Here's what's new in this hotfix:
Level Updates
"Missing Receiver in co-op" is not a bug—use the power of friendship to solve that puzzle! 😉
Versus mode on The Talos Principle now functions as intended.
All puzzles in The Talos Principle now have their names displayed.
Fixed texture issues and made minor color adjustments to text and textures on The Talos Principle.
Various token-related fixes in The Talos Principle.
Addressed a bug in The Talos Principle where items could be thrown out-of-bounds and become unreachable.
General Improvements
Resolved an issue where certain level images would not load correctly in the level picker.
VR Enhancements
You can now toss items into the trashcan from any distance by simply pointing at it and clicking the trigger while holding the item with the grip (and vice versa).
Added vibration feedback when manually placing items into the trashcan for a more tactile experience.
Pine team
The Talos Principle Free Escape Room is Available Now!
We’ve teamed up with the awesome folks at Croteam and Devolver Digital to bring you one of the best puzzle collaborations ever! The Talos Principle escape room is now available in Escape Simulator. 🐈
Dive into intricate puzzles, uncover hidden secrets, and immerse yourself in the wonders of an ancient civilization.
ːcleankeyː Mayan DLC
This week we’re celebrating Escape Simulator’s 3rd birthday with a special announcement: our brand-new Mayan DLC is coming on December 5th! Get ready to be transported to a breathtaking jungle, filled with even more tricky puzzles and ancient mysteries. Make sure to wishlist it now and be among the first to explore this epic adventure!
Wait, this DLC is completely free? Yep, totally free.
How big is The Talos Principle DLC? One room, but bigger than the standard ones. Playtime should be around 45 minutes
What about the Room Editor props? We'll be adding new props in the next update, probably next week.
Is Talos room available on Meta Quest VR? Yes, it's available!
Is it based on Talos 1 or 2? The room works as a standalone experience set in the world of Talos Principle. We made sure there are no spoilers.
Enjoy! <3 Pine team
Escape Simulator: Mayan DLC – Coming December 5th
This weekend marks 3 incredible years of Escape Simulator, and with it, 5 years of hard work from our tiny Pine team. We couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve accomplished, but none of it would’ve been possible without you, our amazing community! 🫶
Just a few days ago, we revealed the upcoming The Talos Principle DLC (which is free and launching tomorrow). But we’ve got one more exciting announcement for this special birthday week: we're working on a brand-new escape room pack – the Mayan DLC is coming December 5th!
Get ready to be transported to a world filled with ancient secrets, treacherous traps, and awe-inspiring temples, where only the sharpest minds and bravest souls will emerge victorious.
Key Features of the Mayan DLC:
Four New Escape Rooms: Dive into stunning Mayan environments with fresh puzzles designed to push your thinking to the limit.
Mayan-themed Props: Room builders, we’ve got new Mayan-themed props to use in your next community room project.
New Outfits: Explore in style with comfy, adventure-themed outfits that fit the Mayan setting perfectly.
Brand-new Soundtrack: Immerse yourself in the mysteries of the Mayan world with an all-new soundtrack.
Cross-platform Multiplayer: Grab your friends and tackle the challenges together, with cross-platform co-op for flat, Steam VR, and Meta Quest (standalone) VR players.
The Mayan DLC will be available for $5.99 USD / 5.99 EUR.
Mark your calendars for December 5th and don't forget to wishlist it here!
The Talos Principle free DLC room coming October 22!
Hey everyone!
We are excited to announce the release of The Talos Principle DLC, a new free room for Escape Simulator, created in collaboration with Croteam as a homage to the critically acclaimed The Talos Principle series!
Prepare to explore, think deeply, and unlock new layers of meaning and discovery. Get ready to challenge your mind when the DLC becomes available for free on October 22.
As huge fans of the series here at Pine Studio, we’ve worked hard to capture the essence of its deep philosophical themes, mind-bending puzzles, and breathtaking environments.
In this DLC, players will face a series of intricate puzzles and challenges inspired by The Talos Principle universe. Whether you are a veteran of Escape Simulator or a fan of The Talos Principle, we believe this room will offer a unique, engaging experience that bridges the gap between these two beloved puzzle game worlds.
We can’t wait to see how you’ll fare in this puzzling tribute to The Talos Principle. Join us and immerse yourself in the world of complex riddles and beautiful philosophical exploration!
But, before you go, here's a small FAQ!
Wait, this DLC is completely free? Yep, totally free.
How big is The Talos Principle DLC? One room, somewhat bigger than the standard ones. Playtime: around 45 minutes
What about the Room Editor props? Not at launch, but planned with the next update (eta: a week)
Is it coming to standalone, Meta Quest VR? Definitely! Sometime next week (probably Thursday).
Is it based on Talos 1 or 2? The room works as a standalone experience set in the world of Talos Principle. We made sure there are no spoilers.
As always, thanks for being the awesome community that you are, and happy escaping!
Pine Studio
Escape Simulator Update: Now on Meta Quest!
With the Meta Quest release, we’ve also updated the Steam version (v33780). This update includes new features like brightness adjustment, automatic language detection, better VR interactions, and plenty of bug fixes to improve your experience.
General Improvements
Meta Quest Version Released: The game is now available on Meta Quest 2 & 3!
Brightness Adjustment: Added an option to customize game brightness.
Automatic Language Detection: The game now automatically sets the language based on your system settings upon first launch.
Steam Deck Support: You can now quit properly on Steam Deck when running on Linux Proton.
Updated Steam SDK: Integrated the latest Steam SDK for improved compatibility.
Improved Dark Mode: Enhanced dark mode with a new background video.
Visual Enhancements: General theme improvements across the game.
Bug Fixes:
Fixed an issue where lobby codes were not displayed in the "Can't find lobby" pop-up.
Resolved a bug where no button was selected when using a controller after failing to join a lobby.
Fixed controller navigation for walkthrough buttons.
Resolved an issue where the character in the main menu would incorrectly appear.
Fixed item rotation freeze in multiplayer when taking an item from a slot filled by another player.
Addressed a memory leak in Workshop rooms related to audio management.
VR Improvements
Customizable VR Hover Time: Added an option to adjust the hover time needed to show VR item info.
Enhanced Manual Interaction: Improved manual interaction with joysticks.
"Reconnecting" UI: Added a clear "Reconnecting" message when players disconnect during multiplayer.
Precise Interactions: Interactions with slidables are now more accurate in VR.
Improved Pop-up Messages: Enhanced clarity and added better animations to pop-up messages.
Token Pickup: Improved positioning of the token pickup message in VR.
Vignette Effect: Enhanced rendering of the VR vignette effect.
Bug Fixes:
Fixed an issue where changing game language didn’t update item names in the VR trashcan.
Resolved a black screen bug when failing to join a lobby in VR (e.g., when host puts down headset).
Fixed a bug where slot object names would appear incorrectly when hovering with an item in community rooms.
Resolved an issue with "Slot" gizmos being visible in mirrors and inventories in community rooms.
Level Improvements
Token Accessibility: Fixed tokens that were previously unobtainable in certain levels (Lost Spirits, The Underground Lab, Leonardo's Workshop).
The Attic (Globe Puzzle): Improved UX—now displays the last pressed button to avoid confusion.
The Top (Level Exit): Added a proper exit when finishing the level.
Tutorial: Fixed localization issues.
The Attic (VR): Enhanced Jack-in-the-box interaction.
Space Walk (VR): Player helmet is now correctly positioned.
Improved Readability in VR: Increased item sizes in certain levels (The Library, The Attic, The Lab, The Lobby) for easier reading.
Adrift in Space (VR): Text on tablets is now enlarged in VR for better visibility.
Special Interaction Hints (VR): Added clearer hints for special interactions in specific VR levels (e.g., rotating statues in "The Top," rotating pipes in "Space Walk").
Escape Simulator is Now Available on Meta Quest!
Hey everyone!
We’ve got some exciting news—Escape Simulator is now live as a standalone release on Meta Quest 2 & 3! That means you can now jump into your favorite escape rooms directly on your Quest, no PC required!
If you’re on Quest, it’s time to grab your headset and start solving puzzles in VR. 🧩🔍
Single-player and Multiplayer Co-op: Enjoy Escape Simulator solo or gather your friends for an online co-op adventure for up to 10 players, though each level is ideally suited for groups of three.
Cross-platform Co-op Multiplayer: Escape Simulator supports Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3 and Steam version (flat of VR) in multiplayer co-op, ensuring seamless fun across platforms.
Full VR Integration: Experience intuitive movement with Meta Quest’s Touch Controllers, fully immersing yourself in the interactive environments.
Varied Play Modes: Choose to play sitting, standing, or in roomscale mode, adapting the game to your preferred play style.
Community-Created Content: Meta Quest users can also access a curated selection of the best community-created escape rooms, hand-picked by Pine Studio and ported to Meta Quest for VR.
Downloadable Content & Updates: Internet connection is required to access downloadable content, which includes regularly added rooms and puzzles, providing ongoing updates to keep the experience fresh and exciting.
And finally, we want to thank our VR testers from Discord for their tremendous help, without whom the Meta Quest version would have been extremely difficult to achieve.
But wait! Take this FAQ before you go!
How much does the game cost on Meta Quest? Escape Simulator for Meta Quest is priced at $19.99 USD or €16.99 EUR.
Will there be cross-platform multiplayer between Meta Quest and Steam versions? Definitely!
Is the content of Escape Simulator identical to the PC version? Yes, but at launch, the game will include 16 rooms, all of which are completely free.
When will the other rooms and DLCs be released? Additional rooms and DLCs will be released over the next few months.
Why are you doing it this way? I want all the rooms right away! We understand you'd like everything immediately, but optimizing larger rooms for Quest takes extra time to ensure they run smoothly, and we want to do it right.
I’m confused about the community rooms. What do you mean Pine Studio will be selecting them? Since there's no way to link the Meta Quest version to Steam Workshop, Pine Studio will carefully curate the best community rooms and manually upload them to our server, where they will be available to Meta Quest players.
Can I create my own community room on Meta Quest? Unfortunately, no. The Room Editor is currently only available on the Steam version of the game.
Will there be a discount for Steam owners of the game? Unfortunately, we are unable to offer a discount for Steam players due to technical limitations.
Will Quest VR testers get a discount? Our Quest VR testers will receive Escape Simulator for Meta Quest completely free as a thank you for their tremendous help.
As always, thanks for being the awesome community that you are, and happy escaping!
Pine Studio
The Collab: World Tour, Volume 1 is out now!
The much-anticipated sequel to The Collab: Museum, one of the most popular community-created rooms for Escape Simulator, has arrived!
The Collab: World Tour, Volume 1 begins with the discovery of a grandparent’s old scrapbook, sparking an adventure that takes players through four historically rich and culturally significant locations:
The Palace of Minos in Greece
An Ancient Atrium in Rome, Italy
A Quaint Town Square in Germany
The Wat Arun Temple in Thailand
As the authors say, each location is designed to challenge players with puzzles deeply rooted in the history and culture of these iconic sites. Whether deciphering ancient scripts in Greece or unlocking the secrets of a town square in Germany, the experience promises to be both challenging and educational.
Crafted by a Talented Team
At Pine Studio we can't stress enough how incredibly proud we are with our incredibly creative community. This project represents a collaboration between veteran builders in the Escape Simulator community, each bringing their unique expertise to create a cohesive and engaging experience.
Wollo crafted the intricate details of the German town square, Dr. Krank brought the Palace of Minos to life, apa-games meticulously recreated the ancient Roman atrium, and namo-krub designed the stunning Wat Arun temple in Thailand. The journey home was built by Brushstroke and Robin, providing a memorable conclusion to this global adventure.
Robin also created the story and provided the narration, adding depth to the experience, while Cryptic1 composed the atmospheric soundtrack that accompanies the journey. The entire project was managed by Brushstroke, GG3L, and Zesty Mordant, ensuring that every element came together seamlessly.
Accessible and Inclusive Gameplay
The team says The Collab: World Tour, Volume 1 is designed to be accessible to a wide audience. It is colorblind-friendly, with sound recommended but not required to solve puzzles. In-game translations are available for all languages supported by Escape Simulator, making the adventure accessible to players around the world.
Suitable for all ages, the adventure can be played solo or with friends and takes approximately 1.5 hours to complete. It’s also playable on the Steam Deck with the “Half” textures setting.
The team
This project was made possible by yet another incredible collaboration between the members of Escape Simulator community.
Germany: Built by Wollo
Greece: Built by Dr. Krank
Italy: Built by apa games
Thailand: Built by namo-krub
Home: Built by Brushstroke and Robin
Story: Created and built by Robin
Narration: Robin
Soundtrack: Cryptic1
Translations: Provided by Eureka Paprika, Robin, Wollo, and ChatGPT
Project Management: Brushstroke, GG3L, and Zesty Mordant
