I'm thinking that VR/AR might be a perfect solution to this, but that seems so obvious that I have to assume the technology just isn't ready yet, or there are other unknown factors standing in the way. Maybe it just wouldn't be as much fun.
Still, a mostly empty warehouse and a few sets of goggles seems more cost effective, and a virtual set would be easier to reconfigure and reload.
I think the technology is ready. There are some games exploiting the concept, "I expect you to die" is more or less an escape room.
We can make it a cooperative multi-player game to get the teamwork effect of real escape rooms. An existing example would be "keep talking and nobody explodes", a cooperative, semi-VR game.
The thing is, as fun as it is might be, it is an entirely different experience. On one side you won't get the feedback of real life items and people. On the other side you can do things that would be too expensive, too dangerous or simply impossible to do in real life.
The problem with VR for some people is they can’t walk without falling over their first time (myself included). Your market is millenials and their out of town boomer parents who can scarcely use their smartphone.
There already are VR rooms. I'm stoked to try it out (going next week), but from what I can tell it's still a niche even for the companies where you can do them.
Still, a mostly empty warehouse and a few sets of goggles seems more cost effective, and a virtual set would be easier to reconfigure and reload.