The ScareHouse
The ScareHouse is a privately held Pittsburgh-based experiential entertainment company that operated a nationally acclaimed seasonal haunted house attraction from 1999 until its 2026 hiatus; its founding creative team now offers haunted attraction design, immersive event production, and experiential marketing services through Needs More Fog.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersTarentum, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The ScareHouse does
The ScareHouse is a privately held experiential entertainment company founded in Pittsburgh in 1999 by Scott Simmons and Wayne Simmons. For over 25 years it operated ScareHouse, a seasonal haunted house attraction, and The Basement, an adult-focused immersive horror experience — both built around cinematic storytelling, custom-built scenic environments, innovative special effects, elaborate costumes, cinematic lighting, original annual storylines, and highly trained performer talent. The attractions drew visitors from a regional catchment spanning Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Columbus, Erie, and Morgantown, and earned national media coverage from Good Morning America, CBS News, ABC News, Travel Channel, The Daily Show, and BuzzFeed, with frequent placement on national "best haunted houses" rankings.
Historically, the company monetized through one-time ticket purchases for its seasonal physical attraction, operating as a direct-to-consumer destination with no publicly disclosed pricing. Both ScareHouse and The Basement have been on hiatus as of 2026. The founding creative team has pivoted to Needs More Fog, a separate experiential design, production, and marketing services company specializing in haunted attractions, escape rooms, themed entertainment, immersive experiences, and audience-driven content for external clients. The combined entity operates from 118 Locust Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15223, with no disclosed revenue, funding, or ownership structure beyond founder co-ownership.
The business model has shifted from a consumer-attraction model to a B2B professional services model. Customer segments historically spanned horror enthusiasts, thrill-seekers, families, and creative professionals; the Needs More Fog pivot adds corporate clients seeking experiential design and immersive event production. No AI capabilities, software platforms, APIs, or proprietary technology assets are disclosed — the core technology is creative production craft (scenic design, special effects, performance), not software.
The ScareHouse firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The ScareHouse
- Legal name
- The ScareHouse
- Website
- https://scarehouse.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The ScareHouse is a privately held Pittsburgh-based experiential entertainment company that operated a nationally acclaimed seasonal haunted house attraction from 1999 until its 2026 hiatus; its founding creative team now offers haunted attraction design, immersive event production, and experiential marketing services through Needs More Fog.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The ScareHouse industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Immersive Entertainment
- NAICS
- Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131), Amusement and Theme Parks (713110)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Seasonal & Special-Event Parks (Halloween/Christmas, Pop-Up Experiences) (THAJAEAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Night Tours (Illuminations, Ghost & Legends) (THAJAAAH), Family Entertainment Centers & Indoor Amusement (Arcades, Trampoline Parks, Indoor Play) (THAAAAAD)
Keywords
Where The ScareHouse is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tarentum
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The ScareHouse business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Haunted Attraction Tickets: Seasonal ticket revenue from visitors to the haunted house attraction, operating primarily during the Halloween season. Both ScareHouse and The Basement were on hiatus as of 2026.
- Experiential Design and Production Services (Needs More Fog): The creative team behind ScareHouse now offers experiential design, production, and marketing services through Needs More Fog, specializing in haunted attractions, escape rooms, themed entertainment, immersive experiences, and audience-driven content.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
The ScareHouse product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The ScareHouse is a seasonal haunted house attraction in Pittsburgh, PA, founded in 1999, that delivered immersive horror entertainment through cinematic storytelling, custom-built scenic environments, original characters and storylines each season, and highly trained performer performances. The portfolio included the main ScareHouse haunted house and The Basement, an adult-focused interactive horror experience. Both attractions are on hiatus in 2026 while the creative team operates Needs More Fog, an experiential design, production, and marketing company serving the haunted attractions, escape rooms, and immersive entertainment industries.
Product overview
The ScareHouse operates as a portfolio of haunted house attractions and experiential entertainment services. The core offerings include ScareHouse (the main haunted house attraction featuring immersive storytelling and theatrical performances) and The Basement (an adult-focused interactive horror experience). Both attractions are currently on hiatus in 2026. The creative team continues operations through Needs More Fog, a separate experiential design and production company offering haunted attraction development, escape rooms, themed entertainment, immersive experiences, and marketing services. The company does not offer a unified software platform—the products are distinct entertainment attractions and a creative services business.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- ScareHouse Haunted House Attraction A seasonal haunted house attraction in Pittsburgh featuring immersive storytelling, cinematic lighting, detailed scenic design, innovative special effects, elaborate costumes, and world-class actor performances. Frequently ranked among the best haunted houses in the United States and recognized with national media coverage. Currently on hiatus in 2026.
- The Basement An adult-focused immersive horror experience that pushed boundaries of interactive horror and immersive theater, attracting international attention for its unique approach to interactive horror entertainment. Currently on hiatus in 2026.
- Needs More Fog An experiential design, production, and marketing company founded by the ScareHouse creative team, specializing in haunted attractions, escape rooms, themed entertainment, immersive experiences, and audience-driven content. Offers world-class attraction design, immersive event production, cinematic promotional media, and partnership opportunities for business clients.
Companies that use The ScareHouse
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The ScareHouse technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
The ScareHouse partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights3 records
The ScareHouse competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Universal Halloween Horror Nights: Flagship Halloween event from Universal Destinations featuring cinematic IP-driven haunted mazes and scare zones. Comparable to ScareHouse as a top-tier immersive Halloween entertainment experience, but operated by a major theme park corporation.
- Knott's Scary Farm: Industry-leading Halloween event operated by Cedar Fair at Knott's Berry Farm, comparable to ScareHouse as a high-production, story-driven Halloween attraction with mazes, scare actors, and immersive theming — though at significantly larger scale.
- Dark Harbor at the Queen Mary: Large-scale immersive Halloween event produced on a historic ocean liner venue in Long Beach, comparable to ScareHouse in themed storytelling, custom environments, and atmospheric production at a larger institutional scale.
Regional players
- Field of Screams: Lancaster, PA haunted attraction serving the same Western Pennsylvania/Mid-Atlantic regional market as ScareHouse, with multiple attractions and broad seasonal entertainment focus, comparable as a regional competitor for the same seasonal visitors.
Emerging players
- Meow Wolf: Large-scale immersive art/entertainment company producing permanent and touring experiential installations. Comparable to ScareHouse in pioneering immersive narrative experiences and represents both a peer category and potential competitive entrant into the experiential design space where Needs More Fog operates.
- The Escape Game: Major U.S. escape room chain that overlaps with ScareHouse's immersive storytelling expertise and the overlap between haunted attractions and escape rooms — also a potential Needs More Fog B2B client and creative talent destination.
Direct peers
- 13th Gate Haunted House: Louisiana-based high-production haunted attraction with detailed scenic environments and immersive storytelling, comparable to ScareHouse as a regionally dominant, nationally ranked seasonal horror experience.
- Eastern State Penitentiary — Terror Behind the Walls: A nationally acclaimed haunted attraction operating in a historic Philadelphia prison, comparable to ScareHouse as a high-production, story-driven seasonal haunted experience with national media recognition and immersive theatrical design.
- Darkwood Entertainment: Independent high-production haunted attraction brand with multiple locations, comparable to ScareHouse in operating story-driven seasonal horror attractions and creating original seasonal characters/IP.
- Netherworld Haunted House: Atlanta-based horror attraction frequently ranked among America's top haunted houses, directly comparable to ScareHouse in production quality, cinematic set design, monster characters, and national recognition within the premium haunted attraction category.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The ScareHouse social profiles
Digital presenceThe ScareHouse financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The ScareHouse leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
The ScareHouse funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The ScareHouse M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The ScareHouse
What does The ScareHouse do?
The ScareHouse is a seasonal haunted house attraction in Pittsburgh, PA, founded in 1999, that delivered immersive horror entertainment through cinematic storytelling, custom-built scenic environments, original characters and storylines each season, and highly trained performer performances. The portfolio included the main ScareHouse haunted house and The Basement, an adult-focused interactive horror experience. Both attractions are on hiatus in 2026 while the creative team operates Needs More Fog, an experiential design, production, and marketing company serving the haunted attractions, escape rooms, and immersive entertainment industries.
Is The ScareHouse a public or private company?
The ScareHouse is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The ScareHouse founded?
The ScareHouse was founded in 1999. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is The ScareHouse based?
The ScareHouse is headquartered in Tarentum, United States, in the North America region.
How does The ScareHouse make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Haunted Attraction Tickets are the primary driver. The others are experiential Design and Production Services (Needs More Fog).
Who are The ScareHouse's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Universal Halloween Horror Nights, Knott's Scary Farm and Dark Harbor at the Queen Mary. Field of Screams is listed as a regional player. Emerging players are Meow Wolf and The Escape Game. Direct peers are 13th Gate Haunted House, Eastern State Penitentiary — Terror Behind the Walls, Darkwood Entertainment and Netherworld Haunted House.
Does The ScareHouse have an API?
No public API is recorded for The ScareHouse.
What industry is The ScareHouse in?
The ScareHouse's product category is Immersive Entertainment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJAEAH, Seasonal & Special-Event Parks (Halloween/Christmas, Pop-Up Experiences), with a secondary code of THAJAAAH, Night Tours (Illuminations, Ghost & Legends). Its NAICS code is 7131 and its SIC code is 7900.