inkmate Plus and game requests: what is new

Two things arrived on inkmate this week: an optional subscription called inkmate Plus, and a request queue where you decide which game gets drawn next. Here is what each one is, what it costs and what it does not change.

The games stay free

Chess, Ludo, Snakes & Ladders, carrom, Toot Boat and Paper Dogfight are free to play, with no ads and no account. That is not changing. Plus is a thank-you with a few extras on top, and nothing that was free has been taken away.

What inkmate Plus gives you

• Three extra sets of pieces for your boards and games: Deep sea (shrimp, crabs, seahorses and whales), Outer space (aliens, rockets, comets and planets) and Sweet shop (gumdrops, cupcakes, lollies and ice cream).
• Your game requests go to the front of the queue, and we aim to add an accepted game within about a day.
• You help keep a small independent project going, so new games keep arriving.

Plus costs $2.99 a month or $24 a year. Payments are handled by Polar, who act as the seller and take care of tax and receipts, so your card details never touch inkmate. You can cancel at any time and Plus stays on until the end of the period you paid for. If you change your mind soon after paying, our refund policy has you covered. The full details are on the Plus page, and you need to sign in with your email first so Plus follows you from phone to laptop.

Ask for the next game

The request page is a public board. Sign in with your email, tell us which game to draw next and, if you like, how you think it should work. Everyone can see the queue and vote for what they want most, so the games people actually ask for rise to the top.

• Each request shows its status: in the queue, being drawn or added.
• Requests appear without your name or email.
• Keep it friendly: no swearing, links or personal details. Anything that breaks the rules is removed.
• There is a daily limit so one person cannot fill the board.
• We choose what gets made and when. A request or a vote is a suggestion, not a promise.

Plus members get a little more: their requests are marked and go first, and we aim to add an accepted one within a day. That is a goal rather than a guarantee, because a game has to be simple enough to draw and test properly. The exact wording is in the terms of use.

Not sure what to ask for?

Dots & Boxes, Draw & Guess and a couple quiz are already on the drawing board. If you want something else, such as checkers, dominoes or a word game, put it on the board and see who else votes for it. For ideas on what works well with friends far away, see our guide to free games to play on a video call.

tip: Your sidekick critter now pops up now and then to point things out, including the request page. Tap it any time for a trick.