Ivy Road
- Open roles
- 0
- Founded
- 2021
- Employees
- 11-50
- Offices
- 0
About Ivy Road
Ivy Road was an independent video game development studio focused on narrative-driven games and simulation. Founded in 2021, it brought together developers working across the United States and Canada. Its work combined character writing, interactive storytelling, stylized visual design, gameplay engineering and original music. Annapurna Interactive financed and published its debut game.
The studio developed Wanderstop, a 3D management simulation about Alta, a fallen warrior who takes on the running of a tea shop in a magical forest. Its tea-making and shop-management activities frame a story about burnout, identity and the difficult process of emotional recovery. Rather than presenting a comforting setting as an uncomplicated escape, the game examines its protagonist's discomfort with slowing down and changing her expectations of herself.
The production brought together narrative design, 3D environments, stylized character animation and a dynamic musical score by Daniel “C418” Rosenfeld. Following approximately seven years of iterative development, Wanderstop launched on March 11, 2025 for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Nintendo Switch ports followed in June 2026 under Annapurna Interactive's continuing distribution arrangements.
After the release of Wanderstop, Ivy Road developed Engine Angel, an action-oriented driving prototype led creatively by cinematic artist Liz Caingcoy. The project remained an unreleased pitch because the studio could not secure financing for full production.
Ivy Road announced its closure on March 27, 2026 and ceased operations on March 31. Annapurna Interactive continued handling Wanderstop distribution and ongoing game support after the studio closed.
More about Ivy Road
Founders and creative backgrounds
- Davey Wreden co-founded the studio and served as writer and director. His earlier work includes The Stanley Parable and The Beginner's Guide.
- Karla Zimonja was a co-founder and narrative lead. She previously co-founded Fullbright and worked on Gone Home and BioShock 2: Minerva's Den.
- Daniel “C418” Rosenfeld was a co-founder and audio lead, following his earlier work as the original composer of Minecraft.
These are historical studio roles, rather than current executive appointments.
Working model
Ivy Road described its philosophy as “people over projects.” It operated as a distributed, remote-first team without a dedicated public commercial office. The reported team size reflects its peak operations before closure.
Early milestones
Initial prototyping began in 2017–2018, before the studio's formation. Ivy Road was publicly unveiled on July 29, 2021 during the Annapurna Interactive Showcase.
Notable credits
2 creditsOpen roles
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