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The best Android game masterpiece just became free for millions of gamers
Devolver Digital's mobile platformer Poinpy has returned to the iOS and Android app stores as a free download, a year after vanishing from both platforms. The game, created by Downwell director Ojiro Fumoto, originally launched as a Netflix exclusive but was pulled last year, becoming unplayable and highlighting the wider problem of mobile game preservation. Its return without any Netflix subscription requirement gives millions of players a fresh chance to try one of the most acclaimed mobile games of recent years.
Poinpy first launched on 10 June 2022 as a flagship title in Netflix's push into original games, alongside titles such as Lucky Luna and Laya's Horizon, and was praised by critics for its inventive vertical platforming, which flips the mechanics of Fumoto's earlier game Downwell. Players guide a character upward through a well, dodging a giant cat while collecting fruit to fulfil drink orders. It is now available on both platforms entirely free, with no adverts, microtransactions or paywalls, though an optional tip screen lets players support the developers directly.
In short
- Poinpy returns free on iOS and Android after a year's absence
- Game no longer requires a Netflix subscription to play
- No ads, microtransactions or paywalls; optional developer tips only
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
This outcome represents a positive development demonstrating that digital games can be preserved and returned to players. The publishers' decision to make Poinpy freely available without exploitative monetisation shows that, despite challenges in digital distribution, acclaimed titles can find their way back to communities who value them. Rather than resigning ourselves to cynicism about digital ownership, this case illustrates that when companies prioritise player access over profit, excellent outcomes are achievable and cultural works can be successfully preserved through alternative means.
The case against
Whilst the game's return is welcome, it exposes fundamental failure in digital game preservation. The very fact that Poinpy became unplayable demonstrates that relying on corporate goodwill is inadequate—what of the countless other games lost permanently? Players who purchased Netflix specifically for exclusive titles lost their access entirely. Celebrating this restoration obscures the systemic problem: without legal protections mandating permanent availability or offline access, digital games remain hostage to commercial decisions, and one happy ending does not justify a fundamentally broken system.
Explained simply
Poinpy is a mobile platformer released in 2022 by developer Ojiro Fumoto, who previously created the critically acclaimed game Downwell. The game was praised for its inventive vertical platforming, in which players guide a character upward through a well whilst dodging a cat and collecting fruit.
Netflix commissioned Poinpy as an exclusive title for its gaming service, part of the company's expansion into mobile gaming. This meant the game was only playable for Netflix subscribers and distributed solely through the Netflix platform.
Last year, Netflix discontinued Poinpy and removed it from app stores entirely, making it unplayable for everyone. This highlighted a significant problem in the games industry: when a single company controls a game's distribution, the game can vanish permanently, even for players who had previously accessed it.
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