GameMaker Commercial Use Goes Free on PC From January 1, 2027, but Console Still Costs

GameMaker commercial use is about to get a lot cheaper. From 1 January 2027, developers will be able to publish and sell games made with the latest GameMaker tools on PC, web and mobile without paying for a license, according to a report from Rock Paper Shotgun published on 26 October 2026.

What is actually changing for GameMaker commercial use

Until now, anyone who wanted to sell or otherwise monetise a GameMaker project needed a Professional license. That requirement is being dropped for the latest version of the toolset, which has been rebranded around a new engine called GameMaker Runtime. Console releases are the exception. Developers targeting consoles will still need an Enterprise license and approval as a developer.

Ross Manthorpe, a community developer at the company, laid out the details in a post on the official GameMaker site. He said there will be “no changes to existing tier pricing,” so the paid tiers stay as they are while the free option widens.

What existing Professional license holders get

People who already pay for a Professional license are not left out. Manthorpe wrote that they can keep distributing games commercially on the existing GMS2 runtime. They will also gain access to the GMS2 runtime source code, a perk that gives paying customers a closer look at how the older engine works.

A long road to free

GameMaker is roughly 26 years old, and the step follows an earlier one. Its current developer, YoYo Games, which is now owned by the browser company Opera, made the tools free for non-commercial use on PC in November 2023. The new change removes the remaining barrier for solo creators and small teams: the cost of selling what they make.

The engine’s track record gives the move some weight. It has been used by studios and developers behind some of the best-known indie games around, including Heart Machine (Hyper Light Drifter), Toby Fox (Undertale), Derek Yu (Spelunky), Vlambeer (Nuclear Throne) and Dennaton Games (Hotline Miami).

Why it matters for newcomers

GameMaker has historically leaned toward novice programmers and 2D visuals. The newer GameMaker Runtime is meant to strengthen its 3D capabilities, which could broaden the kind of projects people attempt with it. Pairing that with free GameMaker commercial use on PC, web and mobile lowers the stakes for first-time developers, who can test a commercial release without an upfront license fee.

The console carve-out is the notable limit. Anyone hoping to reach those platforms still faces the Enterprise license and approval process. The source report did not say how many developers that affects or whether the console terms might change later, so for now the dividing line is clear: PC, web and mobile are open, and consoles remain gated.

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