One of Finland’s most popular ski resorts is combining winter sport with storytelling experiences, creating a unique escape room-style game as it seeks to attract new audiences to the snowy destination.
Working with Escape Room Helsinki, Pyhä Ski Resort has created an adventure based on the local legend of Huttu-Ukko – a mighty creature that guards the fell – with players having to explore the mountain’s slopes to solve the mystery.
Called “The Lost Spell”, players must go on a journey to save the Pyhä fell from the evil plans of Pakkasnoita, the Frost Witch, by finding Huttu-Ukko’s lost spell.
“We believe that by building stories around skiing we can introduce new people to the sport,” said Reino Tikkanen, director of marketing and digital business development at Pyhä Ski Resort.
“For us, skiing is not only a hobby. We believe it should be an adventure and last year we launched a mobile game that utilises GPS-tracking to provide content and routes that are not visual on the slope map. Now we are bringing an escape adventure to a completely new environment.”
Escape Pyhä will make its debut on 7 April, running through to 22 April. Lasting around three hours, only basic skiing skills are required to take part, according to the resort. The ski season for Pyhä started in November and runs though to May.
