Developer(s) | GarageGames Breakthrough |
---|---|
Designer(s) | Heidi J. Boisvert Natalia Rodriguez |
Engine | Torque |
Platform(s) | Windows, macOS |
Release | January 2008 |
Genre(s) | Life simulation |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
ICED! I Can End Deportation is a role-playing video game in which the player takes on the role of an illegal immigrant.[1] The purpose of the game is to educate players about immigration and impact public opinion about immigration issues.[2][3][4] The target demographics for the game include high school and college students.[5] The game was developed with the Torque game engine.[3][6] It is available for free on Microsoft Windows and macOS.[7][8] As of October 2008, the game received about 110,000 downloads.[9]
It was developed by GarageGames and Breakthrough (a human rights organization) and launched in 2008.[1][3][6] The game was created and designed by Heidi Boisvert and Natalia Rodriguez.[3][8] The name plays off the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).[citation needed] The game puts the player in the role of an immigrant in the United States, with five player character options.[9][3][4] It portrays the limits on immigrants' rights which were a result of immigration laws passed in 1996.[citation needed] Players must avoid deportation or incarceration; other endings include voluntary deportation or attaining citizenship.[8] The player must answer myth-or-fact questions about immigration policy correctly to avoid detention; they can also engage in community service.[3][10][11] The characters in the game were based on real situations.[8][3] Aspects of the game were also inspired by the Grand Theft Auto video game series.[10]
The game was featured in Teen Second Life.[3][7] ICED has been a part of school curricula for better student understanding of legal and human rights issues.[4] High school students in New York City, detained immigrants, and immigration lawyers were consulted for the development of the game.[5][10][11] A questionnaire by the Center for Children & Technology suggested the game was effective in educating its audience on these topics.[2]
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