Minnesota-based publisher Atlas Games has launched a month-long “Fork ICE February” fundraiser to support local communities affected by Operation Metro Surge, a federal government-led operation in the USA. The initiative, which has already raised $3,500, sees the veteran studio behind Ars Magica and Gloom discounting a different title by at least 50% every 24 hours.
The fundraiser comes in response to a period of heightened federal activity in the state, which Atlas Games describes as a source of significant local distress. While “Border Czar” Tom Homan recently suggested that Operation Metro Surge would begin de-escalating, the publisher remains committed to its charitable drive to help repair what it characterises as long-term damage to the community.
Radical Solidarity Through Tabletop
For the remainder of February, a new deal goes live at midnight on the official Atlas Games webstore. The company is donating 100% of the sale price from these daily deals to Minnesota-based organisations providing mutual aid, legal assistance, and essential groceries to those impacted by recent enforcement actions.
The publisher, which has operated out of Minnesota for over 35 years, noted that the atmosphere in Minneapolis has led to a surge in local volunteerism. The company explained in a press statement:
Here in Minnesota, and most visibly Minneapolis, we’ve responded to an armed federal presence with radical nonviolence, solidarity, and mutual aid. When legal immigrants are detained after showing up at their court hearings, people are picked up off the street for the color of their skin, and children are abducted and shipped out of state or country, it’s understandable that some are afraid to leave their homes.”
A Legacy of Independent Publishing
Founded in 1990, Atlas Games is one of the most enduring fixtures in the hobby. Their catalogue includes the storytelling card game Gloom, the surreal RPG Unknown Armies, and the definitive edition of the sorcery-heavy Ars Magica.
By leveraging its back catalogue for “Fork ICE February,” the studio is attempting to turn “gamer goodness” into tangible financial support for those currently without income or facing legal crises. While the drawdown of federal forces is a hopeful sign, Atlas Games maintains that the need for rent assistance and legal aid remains critical.
Players looking to pick up a bargain while supporting the cause can check the daily rotations on the Atlas Games website. Given the deep discounts, stock for popular physical titles is likely to be limited.
