The game follows Henry Stein, a retired animator who returns to his old animation studio Joey Drew Studios from the 1930s after an invitation from his old employer Joey Drew, and discovers a nightmare of cartoon characters seemingly brought to life by the titular Ink Machine. Bendy and the Ink Machine was well-received upon its initial release, with praise centering on its vintage aesthetic and story. In the months following its release, it quickly gained a massive following from exposure on platforms like YouTube and Twitch, and eventually was approved through Steam Greenlight in mid-2017. Merchandise, as well as a mobile spin-off, was later introduced to further promote the game. Mike Mood, the game's programmer and co-creator, described the game as an "accidental success"
