GameMaker's GMRT runtime will be free to use for all developers starting in 2027.
Developers working in GameMaker will soon be able to ship their games for free on platforms such as PC, mobile, browser, and GX Games. That's being made possible by a new update from the Opera-owned game engine developer which will make its relatively new GMRT runtime free to use starting in January 1, 2027.
Previously, developers needed to purchase a professional license to ship games on GMRT or GMS2, the previously-existing runtimes for GameMaker. The company announced GMRT in April 2026, which brought new types of tooling to the beloved 2D game engine, including support for workflows incorporating AI-based programming on Claude Code.
In a statement announcing the news, a company spokesperson said this change is part of the company's strategy to make indie game development on GameMaker "more accessible."
"Developers will have more flexibility in how they work with GameMaker and a simplified commercial model for their new projects," they stated. "The community will also be able to explore GameMaker’s technology, tailor it to their specific project needs, and even potentially contribute to it."
Developers who already have a professional license will still be able to distribute games using the GMS2 runtime, and will "benefit" from access to GMS2 runtime source code. Developers looking to ship on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, or Nintendo Switch 2 will still need to purchase an enterprise license.
This announcement from GameMaker comes at an interesting moment for game engine platforms, which have taken multiple diverging paths in the wake of the Unity Runtime Fee fiasco of 2023 , all seeming to align around the idea of speedin gup game development.
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