Narrative adventure game IKUMA: The Frozen Compass announced for PS5, Xbox Series, and PC - Gematsu
Mooneye Studios has announced IKUMA: The Frozen Compass, a narrative adventure game that depicts the story of a boy and his dog stranded in the Arctic. It will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam in 2026.
Here is an overview of the game, via Mooneye Studios:
IKUMA: The Frozen Compass is a coming-of-age story, where you play as cabin boy Sam and his sled dog Ellie who are stranded on an uncharted island in the Arctic in 1864. There’s harsh elements and rough terrain to overcome, food to be foraged and mysteries to be uncovered, all the while, Sam is on a journey of making peace with his past and becoming himself.
IKUMA: The Frozen Compass is inspired by the Franklin expedition of 1845 (more on that in a sec, if you’re interested) and Inuit legends and can be played solo or cooperatively.
The Franklin expedition set out on a mission to discover a North-West Passage that would connect Europe and Asia in 1845. Their ships, Terror and Erebus, were the best equipped expedition vessels thus far and yet never made it home. The ships and other remainders have only been discovered fairly recently and their disappearance is shrouded in mystery to this day.
The story of Franklin and his crew has been fascinating us long before we started development on IKUMA: The Frozen Compass and became our initial inspiration. In the game we’re telling our fictional version of the story through a mystery Sam needs to solve on the island. The Humboldt expedition had been lost and Sam’s crew was tasked to find out what happened when they themselves got into an accident leaving Sam and a single sled dog stranded on the island that happens to be the stage for the final days of the lost Humboldt crew. Sam now has the chance to retrace their steps and uncover a dark secret that led to the expedition’s tragic failure.
An Emotional Narrative – IKUMA: The Frozen Compass is a coming-of-age story in which you explore unfamiliar terrain, forage for food and uncover mysteries. Not only in order to survive, but to make peace with your past and finally become yourself.
Explore with a Friend – Switch between the two companions at any time, or play side by side with a friend in order to make the best use of the characters’ different skills to achieve your goal.
Brave the Cold – Use the tools and items you gather on the island to find your way and overcome rough terrain. Climb, fish, gather resources, do what it takes to get yourself and your companion to safety.
An Ancient Mystery – Explore ancient Inuit legends in order to solve the mystery surrounding a lost expedition. Retrace their steps but beware of what’s lurking within the fog that cloaks their path.
A Spectacular Frozen Environment – Traverse breathtaking Arctic landscapes, from glaciers and caverns to forgotten ships buried in the ice with the few tools you can manage to find.
A Haunting Mystery – Gather clues and uncover the fate of a cursed expedition left buried beneath the ice.
Fully Voiced Emotional Narrative – Experience a powerful story of love, loss, and endurance.
Play Solo or Cooperatively – Share the journey with a friend as you work together to overcome the Arctic’s challenges.
Survive the Arctic – Manage limited supplies, endure the bitter cold, and rely on your trusted sled dog for guidance.
From the creators of award-winning narrative-driven adventure Lost Ember comes a new, deeply emotional experience.
Watch the announcement trailer and a 20-minute behind the scenes video below. View the first screenshots at the gallery.
