GameMaker Studio 2 gets much simplified licensing following their Ubuntu Linux editor Beta

YoYo Games continue improving not just their software, like recently releasing a big new Beta with an official editor for Ubuntu Linux but now they've also vastly simplified their licensing.

Previously you could either get a 30 day Trial, a Creator license that was locked to either macOS or Windows, a Developer license which gave exports to Windows, Mac and Ubuntu (with higher prices for other export options) or an even higher Console license. A bit messy.

Now they've cut it all down into three simple tiers:

• Free: use it as much as you want (no time limit now) but no exporting to platforms for standalone builds
• Indie: access to all platform editors (macOS, Ubuntu, Windows) and all export options except console
• Enterprise: everything including console exporting

This is really great news for all developers. It opens up a very popular game engine for more people to get involved, and makes it less confusing to work with when you want to actually release something across different platforms. However, there's also a downside - it's now subscription based only. Previously the developer licenses were "permanent" but now it's either monthly or yearly.

From the press release:

Russell Kay, CTO at YoYo Games, said: “Our vision has always been to make it as easy as possible for anyone to start making awesome games. Today’s announcement represents a huge step forward in making GameMaker more accessible to game creators of all levels. We are also committed to fostering creativity within our community and will be introducing exciting new initiatives in this area later this year.”

Krystian Kolondra, EVP PC & Gaming at Opera, added: “The gradual lowering of technical hurdles has already enabled the democratization of content publishing, through platforms like WordPress, and video creation through YouTube. Making games is the next big step in the creator economy. By making GameMaker free for new game creators and more flexible for Indies and Studios, developing skills and creating great games has never been easier.”

Good to see that Opera acquiring YoYo games has produced some nice progress.