Pico Park: Classic Edition Becomes Permanently Free After Developer's Mistake
In an unexpected twist of fate, the beloved co-op action puzzle game, Pico Park: Classic Edition, has become permanently free to play after its developer, Tecopark, inadvertently turned off its monetization. Shunsuke Miyake, the developer behind the game, shared that he had intended to switch back to a paid model following updates but was met with the shocking realization that once a game is made free on Steam, it cannot revert to a paid status.
This incident highlights a significant aspect of game monetization policies on platforms like Steam, where developers must navigate strict rules that can have lasting impacts on their titles. Initially made free over the summer while Tecopark worked on updates, the game was meant to transition back to a paid model after improvements were made, including online support and enhanced visuals. However, after a message from Steam clarified that the game had already been made free in 2021, the decision was made to keep it free permanently.
As a result, Tecopark is encouraging fans to support the studio by purchasing the standard Pico Park or its sequel, Pico Park 2, both available on Steam. This situation serves as a reminder of the complexities of game development and monetization strategies, leaving many to wonder how this will affect the future of similar indie titles. Will this lead to more developers exploring free-to-play models, or will they tread carefully to avoid such pitfalls?
Original source: https://au.pcmag.com/games/113637/popular-puzzle-game-now-free-forever-after-dev-forgot-about-this-steam-rule