Tough Cookie Games

Tough Cookie Games is an independent American video game development studio founded in January 2019 by software engineer Erica Merchant. Based in Washington State, the studio focuses on customizable, narrative-driven games that turn personal milestones into interactive adventures. Its work combines game development with event communication, using playable stories to reveal information that would ordinarily appear in a conventional invitation.

Its flagship project, Save the Date!, was developed as a retro-inspired 2D Metroidvania platformer and an alternative to traditional wedding invitations. Couples and event hosts personalize digital characters, incorporate event locations and dates, and share individual game links with guests through text or email. Guests play through levels, battle monsters and rescue their partner while uncovering details about the celebration.

Character customization connects the game's protagonists to the people hosting the event, making the invitation itself part of the experience. Rather than presenting event information only as a static announcement, the project places those details within a playable narrative. The prototype was presented for Android, iOS, Windows and Mac, reflecting the studio's interest in reaching guests across mobile devices and desktop computers.

Although weddings provided the initial use case, the studio also envisioned applying the format to other occasions, including baby showers and corporate retreats. This gives its work a particular focus within interactive entertainment: combining the structure of a platform game with personalized storytelling and practical event information. The supplied development history centers on the early Save the Date! prototype and its public demonstrations in 2019.