„I forgot that once you switch from paid to free, I can never go back.” A Steam pricing mistake turned into viral success

If you enjoy simple yet engaging games that you can play with friends, be sure to check out Pico Park: Classic Edition. This charming platformer from 2016 has returned in a refreshed version on Steam—and it's completely free. Moreover, it seems it will stay that way... by accident.

The developer, Tecopark studio, admitted that by mistake, Pico Park: Classic Edition became permanently free. How did it happen? In mid-September, a classic game on Steam got an update that added online multiplayer for 2-10 players, spruced-up graphics, support for Steam Input, and compatibility with monitors that refresh at least 60 Hz.

The title was supposed to remain free only for a week, after which it would return to paid distribution. However, one minor detail was overlooked—Steam doesn't allow a game to revert to a paid status once its price has been changed from paid to free. As a result, Pico Park: Classic Edition will remain free forever. It should be added here that the price of the enhanced version of this title, released in 2021 and simply titled Pico Park, costs $4.99.

The original Pico Park is a cooperative puzzle-platform game where up to ten players take on the roles of small, colorful characters. Their job is to team up to solve puzzles, grab keys, and unlock doors to move on to the next levels. Many levels require close cooperation and good communication, making the game a perfect choice for evenings with friends, both locally and online.

The game has received a warm reception on Steam, with 74% of about 1,700 reviews being positive. The free version is, therefore, a great opportunity to join the ever-growing group of satisfied Pico Park fans. Suffice it to say that, at the time of writing, over 11,600 people are playing the game simultaneously on the Valve platform, and just under an hour ago, there were almost 12,500. That's a new high for this game, which hadn't ever had more than 1000 players at once until this week.

Pico Park

June 8, 2019

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