Today we’d like to introduce you to Juliana Patel and Ariel Rubin.
Hi Juliana and Ariel, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
We have always loved tabletop games and stories, so when Escape Rooms started in 2014, we became obsessed with them. At the time, there wasn’t a tabletop escape room game, so we decided to make one. We launched Escape Room In A Box on Kickstarter and it was an immediate success. We eventually licensed the game to Mattel and won game of the year at their Inventor Awards. Around that time, we got some very wise advice from Joe Lefavi of Genuine Entertainment to think about what our mission statement for our company would be. We thought about how creating Escape Room In A Box, a type of game that not only hadn’t been made before but that many told us would be impossible to do well, had been this wild act of optimism that we had made happen. We loved the creation and innovation, so we decided our new company name would be Wild Optimists and our mission statement would be “creating new ways to play.” That’s what excites us: looking at a medium, or event or place and imagining how we can make it more dynamic, more fun for the people who experience it by adding in puzzles and games.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has been pretty smooth, all things considered. Escape Room In A Box has proven an incredible calling card that has helped us get jobs and get asked to speak at conventions which then helps us get jobs. Our biggest struggle is getting the word out that a company like ours exists since there is no one else quite like us.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
We design games and puzzles for brand marketing, site specific experiences, and at home gaming that increase audience engagement by giving players the chance to be the hero.Our passion is designing new ways to play. We specialize in designing games, experiences and immersive events that break the mold. In the mass market world: we are best known for Escape Room In A Box from Mattel. But that list is growing. Arcane Wonders just published our new social deduction game “Hello Neighbor: The Secret Neighbor Party Game” based on the incredibly popular video game. We are often most proud of whatever we just worked on. We just finished an activity book that was sent to influencers for the premiere of the second season of the CW’s Nancy Drew, that was incredibly cool. In terms of LA specific games: Our socially distance friendly Secret Story Tours just launched on the Santa Monica Pier. Players can learn about the very cool history of the Pier and earn fun photo filters to commemorate their visit. We are also working with the Roguelike Tavern in Burbank to create a cocktail experience where you play a game that creates a unique story. Kinda like the Neverending Story but with booze.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Wow! Our list of helpers and mentors would be really long. We are so grateful to so many people who have helped us, starting with all our Kickstarter backers. Joe Lefavi is our business mentor and there is nobody smarter, more generous, more passionate and more genuine than Joe. His help has been invaluable. Probably our biggest shout out is to all our playtesters who patiently play the multitudes of games and puzzles we throw at them, giving us incredible notes and feedback and without whom our games wouldn’t be fun. Games are made in playtesting and playtesting doesn’t work that well without playtesters.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.wildoptimists.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewildoptimists/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildoptimists
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