FAQ

When does it open?

Manhattan opens Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 7:30 PM Eastern. Join the waitlist and we'll email you when it's live.

Is it free?

Yes. pictopos runs in your browser on a phone or a computer, with nothing to download and nothing to buy. Your first plot is free, and more plots are earned with points, not money.

How do I earn points?

Points in pictopos are called PXL. You earn PXL when other players like the artwork you publish, so the more people enjoy your plot, the more you earn. Spend PXL to claim more plots and expand to other canvases. Each extra plot costs a little PXL to keep, so a well-liked portfolio keeps growing; if your balance runs out, your newest plots go dormant instead of being taken away.

PXL is a game score, not money or cryptocurrency. It can't be bought, sold, traded or cashed out.

Do I own the land?

No, and nobody does. A plot is a square of the game map that lines up with about an acre of the real city; it isn't real estate and has nothing to do with whoever owns or uses that place. Claiming a plot gives you the right to paint it and keep it in the game while you play.

Plots are held for active players. If you stop playing, your extra plots return to the map after about a month, and your first plot after 90 days. We'll email you reminders before that happens, and your artwork stays saved in your account.

Does pictopos own my art?

No. You keep ownership of everything you paint. You give us permission to show it in the game and in things like share images and time-lapses of the map, and that permission ends when you delete it. The details are in section 7 of our Terms.

What if someone paints something offensive?

Every artwork can be reported. Hate symbols, harassment, sexual content and anything aimed at a real place or community are against the rules, and art reported by several players is hidden until a person reviews it. You can also email contact@pictopos.com.

Is it only Manhattan?

For now. Manhattan is the first map, all 17,286 plots of it. We plan to open more of the city and other places over time, and people on the waitlist hear first.

Who makes pictopos?

pictopos is a game studio that builds games on real geospatial data. We take open map data, from coastlines and street grids to aerial imagery, and turn real places into worlds you can play in, accurate to the block, with everything on top of them made by players. Manhattan is our first map.

You can reach us at contact@pictopos.com, or find us on Instagram and TikTok.