GameMaker Review, Pricing & Features

GameMaker is a 2D game engine, free for non-commercial use, with paid commercial and console (Enterprise, $799/yr) licenses.

Category
Productivity
Pricing
Freemium, from Free (non-commercial use)
Verified
Not yet
Last updated
July 20, 2026
Founded
1999
Headquarters
Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom (YoYo Games)
Free PlanWindowsiOSAndroidMac

What Is GameMaker?

GameMaker is a 2D game development engine and IDE originally created by Mark Overmars in 1999. Since 2007 it has been developed by YoYo Games, a studio based in Dundee, Scotland, which was acquired by Opera in 2023 to launch Opera's gaming division.

The engine uses a visual drag-and-drop workflow alongside its own scripting language (GML) and is widely used by indie developers to build and publish 2D games across desktop, mobile, web, and console platforms.

Key Features

GameMaker combines a visual room and object editor with GML scripting, letting developers mix no-code drag-and-drop logic with hand-written code as projects grow in complexity. It includes a built-in sprite editor, tilemap tools, and a physics engine.

Games built in GameMaker can be exported to Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, HTML5, and, with an Enterprise license, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch, making it a common entry point for developers moving from prototyping to commercial release across multiple platforms.

GameMaker Pricing

GameMaker is free to use for non-commercial projects on all non-console platforms. Publishing games commercially, or targeting additional platforms, requires a paid license, and GameMaker has changed its pricing structure more than once, moving from a per-platform license, to a subscription model introduced in 2021, to a simplified free/commercial-license/enterprise structure introduced in November 2023.

The Enterprise tier, required for publishing to PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch, is priced at $799 per year. Current exact pricing for the commercial (non-console) license should be confirmed on GameMaker's official pricing page, since it has been revised several times in recent years.

Key Features

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Free to use for non-commercial projects with no time limit
  • Beginner-friendly visual editor combined with a full scripting language for advanced use
  • Long track record, with the underlying engine dating back to 1999
  • Supports export to major desktop, mobile, and console platforms
  • Strong focus and tooling specifically for 2D games

Cons

  • Pricing structure has changed multiple times in recent years, which can be confusing for prospective buyers
  • Console publishing requires the more expensive Enterprise tier at $799/year
  • Less suited to 3D game development compared to engines like Unity or Unreal
  • Now owned by Opera rather than an independent studio, following the 2023 acquisition

Pricing

Frequently Asked Questions

Is GameMaker free?

Yes, for non-commercial projects on non-console platforms. Publishing a game commercially or targeting consoles requires a paid license.

Who makes GameMaker?

GameMaker was originally created by Mark Overmars in 1999 and has been developed by YoYo Games, based in Dundee, Scotland, since 2007. YoYo Games was acquired by Opera in 2023.

Can GameMaker export to consoles?

Yes, with an Enterprise license priced at $799/year, which supports publishing to PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.

Do I need to know how to code to use GameMaker?

No. GameMaker supports a visual drag-and-drop workflow, but also includes its own scripting language, GML, for developers who want to write custom code.

What platforms can GameMaker games run on?

GameMaker projects can be exported to Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, HTML5, and, with an Enterprise license, major game consoles.

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