Frozenbyte

{{short description|Finnish video game developer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Frozenbyte, Inc.

| logo = Frozenbyte logo.png

| native_name = Frozenbyte Oy

| native_name_lang = fi

| type = Limited company ({{Lang|fi|osakeyhtiö}})

| foundation = {{start date and age|2001|df=y}}

| location = Helsinki, Finland

| num_employees = ~60

| num_employees_year = 2024

| industry = Video games

| products = {{Unbulleted list|Shadowgrounds series|Trine series}}

| homepage = {{URL|https://www.frozenbyte.com/}}

| footnotes = {{cite web|title=About {{!}} Frozenbyte|url=https://www.frozenbyte.com/about-frozenbyte|publisher=Frozenbyte|access-date=16 December 2020}}

}}

Frozenbyte, Inc. (natively Frozenbyte {{Lang|fi|Oy|italic=no}}) is a Finnish video game developer founded in 2001 and based in Helsinki.{{Cite web |url=https://www.kauppalehti.fi/yritykset/yritys/frozenbyte+oy/1736734-3 |title=Frozenbyte Oy |website=Kauppalehti |language=fi |access-date=9 October 2023}} {{As of|2020|12}}, it had approximately 130 employees. Frozenbyte's first commercial game was Shadowgrounds for Microsoft Windows. Both Shadowgrounds and its follow-up Shadowgrounds: Survivor were released for Linux in 2009, ported by IGIOS and published by Linux Game Publishing. They and all their later games use an engine that has been known internally as Storm3D, originally by Finnish programmer Sebastian Aaltonen.{{cite web|url=https://github.com/Frozenbyte/Jack-Claw/blob/master/LICENSE.txt|title=Jack Claw License|website=GitHub|author=Frozenbyte|access-date=2024-01-26}}{{cite web|url=https://cheesetalks.net/frozenbyte2.php|title=Cheese talks to: Frozenbyte (about Trine and other things)|last=Bush|first=Josh|website=Cheese Talks|date=2012-05-03|access-date=2024-01-26}}{{cite web|url=https://rudyfaile.com/2020/04/22/custom-game-engines-a-small-study/|title=Custom Game Engines: A Small Study|first=Rudy|last=Faile|date=2020-04-22|access-date=2024-01-26}}

Frozenbyte's next commercial game, Trine was released in 2009 for Microsoft Windows in 2009, and has since been ported to Linux, OS X, the PlayStation Network, and Nintendo eShop. The game spawned four sequels, Trine 2 which was released on Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 in December 2011, Linux in March 2012, and Wii U eShop in November 2012, and Trine 3: The Artifacts of Power which was released via Steam Early access in August 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/trine-3-is-out-in-early-access-next-week/|title=Trine 3 is out in Early Access next week|last=Savage|first=Phil|date=April 26, 2015|work=PC Gamer|access-date=April 26, 2015}} A fourth installment, Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince was released in October 2019. The fifth installment Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy was released in 2023.

A Humble Indie Bundle sale started on 12 April 2011, and featured five games from Frozenbyte, including Trine, Shadowgrounds, and Shadowgrounds: Survivor, for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. It also contained an executable version along with source code for an unfinished game, Jack Claw, and a pre-order for their upcoming game, {{ill|Splot|qid=Q122901648}}.{{cite web | url = http://kotaku.com/#!5791097/this-might-be-the-best-indie-bargain-of-2011 | title = This Might Be The Best Indie Bargain Of 2011 | first = Luke | last = Plunkett | publisher = Kotaku | date = 11 April 2011 | access-date = 11 April 2011 }} As of August 2021, Splot has still to be published, and buyer's libraries on Humble Bundle say "There are no full release builds planned of Splot for Windows, Mac, and Linux".{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}}

On 4 December 2015, the company announced Shadwen, a stealth game where time moves only when the player moves.{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-12-04-trine-developer-frozenbyte-reveals-fantasy-stealth-game-shadwen |title=Trine developer Frozenbyte reveals time-manipulating stealth game Shadwen |first=Jeffery |last=Matulef |work=Eurogamer |date=4 December 2015|access-date= 4 December 2015}}

On 28 May 2019, the company announced a new upcoming game Starbase, a sci-fi MMO that was allegedly in development in secret for five years prior.{{Cite web|url=https://www.frozenbyte.com/2019/05/starbase-a-new-sci-fi-mmo-game-by-frozenbyte-revealed/|title=Starbase – A New Sci-Fi MMO Game By Frozenbyte Revealed! {{!}} Frozenbyte|website=www.frozenbyte.com|access-date=20 July 2019}}