SINGAPORE — Forget watching Sherlock Holmes solve a murder from the sidelines. A new immersive experience in Bugis is putting players directly into the investigation — complete with a crime scene, hidden clues, puzzles and a fictional murder that unfolds across one of Singapore’s busiest shopping districts.
A Study In Red: The Official Sherlock Experience, launched on Aug. 21, 2026, is a 90-minute real-world adventure created by Singapore-based gaming studio HIDDEN. The experience takes players through Bugis Street, Bugis Junction and Bugis+, transforming familiar retail spaces into an interactive detective playground.
The game is officially licensed by the Conan Doyle Estate and is based on Arthur Conan Doyle’s A Study in Scarlet, the 1887 novel that introduced Sherlock Holmes and Dr John Watson. HIDDEN says the project is the world’s first officially licensed Sherlock Holmes game set in the real world.
YOU’RE NOT JUST PLAYING SHERLOCK — YOU’RE PART OF THE INVESTIGATION
Players take on the role of investigators working for 221b Consultants, assisting local police inspector Lester Ang, a character whose name pays homage to Inspector Lestrade from the Holmes stories.
Teams of up to five people begin at a 221b-themed office on the second level of Bugis Street. From there, they receive a staff pass, case file and access to a secure digital chat that connects them with Sherlock Holmes and Watson.
Before the investigation officially begins, players must solve an introductory puzzle to obtain a password.
Then comes the murder.
Participants enter a virtualised crime scene, examine evidence and follow a trail of clues through Bugis Street, Bugis+, and Bugis Junction. Puzzles must be solved along the way, with players using their phones and the game’s web application to analyse clues and unlock the next stages of the investigation.
And unlike a traditional escape room, you are not trapped inside one room.
The city — or at least this part of Bugis — becomes the game board.
WHY THIS SHERLOCK HOLMES GAME IS DIFFERENT
HIDDEN is already known in Singapore for interactive outdoor experiences, including its MONOPOLY: HIDDEN Singapore adventures, which similarly combine storytelling, exploration and puzzle-solving. Its games have been designed around discovering places through clues rather than simply sightseeing.
But A Study In Red takes the concept further.
Instead of relying primarily on WhatsApp, which HIDDEN uses for several of its other adventures, the Sherlock Holmes experience uses a web application. This allows players to scan clues and interact with virtual crime scenes — and makes the experience more accessible to tourists who may not have access to WhatsApp.
There is also a physical-world component.
Players must speak to employees at participating shops to obtain certain clues, meaning the experience isn’t simply about staring at a phone while walking around a mall. The game also includes a break where players can use their staff pass to access participating food and retail promotions.
One reported example is a S$10 discount on a S$25 meal at Sides, giving players an incentive to pause the investigation before getting back on the trail.
INSPIRED BY SHERLOCK — AND BY BUGIS
The creators didn’t simply transplant Victorian London into Singapore.
According to HIDDEN CEO Lim Yee Hung, the experience combines beloved fictional characters with locations that already have their own stories. The development team also incorporated lesser-known historical details about Bugis into the adventure.
Development began in late 2025 and took approximately six months. The script was developed by HIDDEN’s teams in Singapore and New Zealand, with consultation from the Conan Doyle Estate. The company said AI was used during coding and brainstorming, but the final product was created by its own team.
The designers also drew inspiration from modern Sherlock Holmes adaptations, including the BBC’s Sherlock and Japan’s Miss Sherlock.
HOW HARD IS THE MYSTERY?
Don’t expect an impossible detective exam.
CNA’s hands-on assessment found the game relatively manageable for players who pay close attention, although experienced escape-room enthusiasts may find some of the puzzles less challenging. The appeal, rather, is in working together, spotting details and gradually piecing together the story.
That makes the experience potentially more accessible to families, couples, casual gamers and Sherlock Holmes fans who may not normally consider themselves escape-room experts.
The experience also rewards fans who know their Holmes lore, with Easter eggs hidden throughout the adventure.
FROM BUGIS TO BAKER STREET
Singapore may only be the beginning.
HIDDEN said it plans to bring the experience to London’s Baker Street, the fictional home of Sherlock Holmes, with the London version expected to be localised rather than simply copying the Singapore adventure.
That ambition fits into a growing Singapore entertainment trend: turning real locations into interactive game worlds.
Singapore has already hosted other immersive experiences, including the Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience and Minecraft Experience, while local operators have increasingly experimented with murder mysteries, interactive walking games and gamified heritage tours.
There are also other Sherlock-themed city games available in Singapore, including self-guided adventures where players use smartphones to follow clues, solve puzzles and investigate a fictional murder while walking through the city.
But A Study In Red has a major distinction: it carries an official Sherlock Holmes licence and places the investigation inside a deliberately designed physical experience spanning Bugis’ shopping precincts.
TICKETS AND DETAILS
A Study In Red: The Official Sherlock Experience debuted on Aug. 21, 2026.
Tickets start at S$29 for adults on weekdays and S$39 on weekends and public holidays, while student tickets start at S$19. The experience lasts approximately 90 minutes, according to CNA.
For those looking for something different from the usual shopping trip, date-night activity or escape room, the premise is simple:
You have a murder to solve.
The real question is whether you can spot the clue that everyone else misses.
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