Ice Water Games
Established in 2013, Ice Water Games is a label—a brand representing a collection of games—owned and operated democratically by the artists who built those games. The label operates on a mandate to improve the state of the games industry for the artists working within it. Ice Water Games vets all new label games to ensure fair, non-exploitative contract terms and healthy, non-abusive work environments.
Ice Water Games at a Glance
Ice Water Games operates as a publisher based in the United States with a distinct model. They describe themselves as a label owned democratically by the artists behind their projects rather than a traditional corporation. Their stated goal is to improve industry standards by ensuring fair contracts and healthy work environments for everyone involved. The company has been active from 2013 through 2020, though their catalog on PlayPile shows 9 titles published between 2014 and 2020. They developed only 3 of these games themselves while publishing the rest. The studio focuses heavily on indie titles, with all 9 games in this classification falling into that genre. Their library leans toward simulation, adventure, and role-playing games, but they also released strategy and tactical options. Their platform support is broad for a small team, covering PC across Windows, Mac, and Linux versions. They have minimal presence on consoles with single releases on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Android, and iOS. Quality trends show consistent performance without major highs or lows. Out of the 5 titles with ratings on PlayPile, none reached the great category above 80 points. Four games scored in the good range between 60 and 79, while one title fell into the mixed bracket. Tenderfoot Tactics stands out as their highest-rated work at 76 points. Other notable entries include Eidolon, Pattern, and Fire Place, all scoring 70 points. Viridi received a lower score of 50.7 points. The studio released most of its output during the 2010s with six games, while only two titles appeared in the 2020s before their activity slowed or stopped. Recent releases like Stones of Solace and Rainstorm EP did not have individual ratings listed in the available data.
7.6
