GameMaker, YoYo Games' 2D-game engine, just announced through its X (formerly Twitter) page that its services will be free for non-commercial use moving forward. Read on to learn more details about the announcement.
GameMaker is Now Free for Non-Commercial Use
As was announced through its own X(formerly Twitter) page on November 21, 2023, GameMaker is now free to download for non-commercial use on all non-console platforms. They also announced that all asset bundles are now free and that a one-time license will be replacing their current subscription plans and fees.
This announcement was met with universal praise from newbies and veteran game developers alike, who all flocked to the announcement's comments within the hour. This major change in GameMaker's pricing scheme seemingly came out of nowhere, as a general air of disbelief and surprise was common among the replies.
That being said, the announcement was alluded to in a previous tweet on the GameMaker page. What looked like your run-of-the-mill server maintenance announcement was evidently a prelude to the upcoming changes.
One-time Commercial License To Be Implemented
In addition to GameMaker's free non-commercial use, they also announced that one-time commercial licenses would be replacing their previous subscription and pricing schemes, making it much easier for indie game developers to make money off of their games.
This was detailed further in a blog post attached to the announcement's comments section where they explained the reason for the major pricing changes. In a nutshell, GameMaker was made free for non-commercial use to thank its users for its exponential growth since it joined the Opera family. It was also made free to better reflect GameMaker's vision, which was to make game development more accessible and flexible for prospective developers.
Current Head of GameMaker Russel Kay had the following to say about their new pricing scheme: "The free version serves as an entry point for beginners, a one-time commercial fee is for the curious ones, while the subscription-based enterprise tier provides a scalable option for more experienced developers and professionals."
In The Shadow of Unity's Backlash
Curiously, the blog post also alluded to the controversy that surrounded Unity's runtime fee changes in mid-September, calling their pricing and terms "awkward". Evidently, one of the main factors for GameMaker's major pricing changes was an impetus to do the exact opposite of what Unity did and gain more users instead of charging existing ones.
GameMaker's new pricing policies and commercial use discounts can be found in their FAQ regarding this announcement.
