Pub, story of indie games development can be so rollercoaster, can it? You are ready to get excited about updating your old hit, and then the following minute, you have to deal with a single pricing gaffe that will make you laugh-cry. Well, that is what happened to Shunsuke Miyake, those guys behind Tecopark and that co-op puzzler people can’t stop playing, Pico Park: Classic Edition. You are talking about the one, the ones with pixel head cats running about the levels that were created to test friendships like none other, that mixes the aura of cute with that of complete insanity that would make even Mario Kart blush.

My first experience was playing the original one, I, together with my friends would gather round a screen, screaming out the instructions and failing miserably yet managed to get more and more. It has this magic in which it has simple puzzles which make it an epic battle of coordination.. Anyway, after letting it sit for almost nine years, Miyake figured it was time for a refresh. He teased big changes like proper online play, better-looking sprites, and some quality-of-life fixes to drag it into the modern era.

To get people excited while he tinkered away this summer, he made the whole thing free for a spell. Seemed like a solid plan—let everyone jump in, try the new stuff, spread the word. He even posted on Twitter (or X, whatever we’re calling it now) saying the free ride would end sometime mid-September, based on Japan time. Folks rushed in, and it built some real momentum.

Fast forward to October, and Miyake’s ready to wrap up the promo, slap a price tag back on, and call it a day. Logs into Steam… and nope. Platform rules hit him like a brick wall. Apparently, if you’ve ever toggled a game to free after it was paid, and especially if you’ve done it before, you can’t just reverse it willy-nilly. He’d pulled a similar stunt in 2021—went free briefly, then back to paid without issues. But this time? Steam’s system flagged it: “Sorry, pal, you agreed to the terms last time. No flipping back now100

He shared the whole saga on X with this self-deprecating vibe that I totally get—dev life is full of these gotchas. Got a message on Steam, which is basically, Remember 2021? Yeah, that counts. You’re locked in.” His answer was simply to laugh it off, as, what else can you do? There is no use getting wild; had better roll.

Frankly speaking it would be a blow to him in money-making, but to us players? Jackpot. The fact the game is currently free forever, i.e. anyone can download and plunge into the craziness of playing it on Steam without paying a penny. This is your excuse should you have friends that should pay you a gaming night. The same power is contained in those levels–cute in the exterior, devilish in the interior.

It’s a good reminder for other devs out there: Read the fine print twice, folks. Platforms like Steam have these quirky policies buried in the agreements that can sneak up on you. Miyake’s handling it gracefully, though, and who knows, maybe it’ll boost visibility for his future stuff.

If you’re into co-op games that mix fun with frustration, grab it while it’s hot (or forever, I guess). Ever had a similar “oops” moment in your hobbies? Share below—I live for these tales.