Game engine GameMaker ditches subscription model for a one-time fee

by Danny Craig  · 
Game engine GameMaker ditches subscription model for a one-time fee
GameMaker

YoYo Games has announced that developers will now be required to pay a one-time fee to publish games created with its game engine, GameMaker, as opposed to the previous subscription model.

The details:

  • The pricing change was announced on the company's blog, with the engine remaining free for non-commercial developers, but those looking to publish their titles on PC, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, and Web browsers will now need to pay $99 for a commercial license.

  • This new pricing structure replaces its former subscription-based model, which required users to pay $9.99 per month to publish games on non-console platforms, or $79.99 per month for all platforms, including consoles. The change does not apply to console releases, so developers must continue to pay the $79.99 monthly fee.

  • Those creating non-commercial educational games will be able to export titles to all platforms, including consoles, for absolutely free as long as they sign up for an Education account.

  • GameMaker head Russell Kay explained that the change came after seeing "other platforms making awkward moves with their pricing and terms," referring to Unity's disastrous attempt to charge fees based on installs. “So we thought, what if we did the opposite, something that could actually be good for developers? Our success is measured by the number of people making games.”

More gaming news:

Latest News