GameMaker makes GMRT free for commercial use from 2027

By Elena Vasquez

GameMaker will make its next-generation GMRT runtime free for commercial use starting January 1, 2027. Developers can then create and distribute GMRT games across desktop, mobile, web and GX Games without purchasing a Professional license.

The policy applies only to GMRT. It leaves legacy GMS2 rights, console export rules and existing tier prices unchanged. It also builds on GameMaker's source-code access for GMRT, announced earlier this year.

GameMaker, acquired by Opera, had previously introduced a free tier that let users download and use a complete GameMaker Studio version for non-commercial work. The new policy creates a free commercial path for developers using the next runtime.

A new commercial model for GMRT

The announcement frames this as a simplified commercial model. It also gives developers more flexibility over how they build with GameMaker. With source access, developers can inspect the technology, tailor it for specific project needs and potentially contribute to the runtime, while the commercial model removes the Professional-license purchase for GMRT releases.

These rights begin on January 1, 2027. GMRT is currently rolling out in beta across platforms. Studios can assess the engine now, but the free commercial model starts on the stated date.

The main terms are straightforward:

• GMRT games can be created and commercially distributed for free across desktop, mobile, web and GX Games.
• Developers do not need a Professional license for those commercial releases.
• GMRT source code access is included across every GameMaker tier.
• Existing tier pricing does not change.

Legacy rights and console gates

Developers who own a Professional license can keep commercially distributing games built with the existing GMS2 runtime. They will also receive source code access to that legacy runtime. The announcement separates free GMRT distribution from paid legacy-runtime rights.

Console exports remain outside the free model. Developers need an Enterprise license and approved-developer status to export to consoles, whichever runtime a project uses. Console support remains a separate and unchanged license requirement.

Existing tier prices also remain unchanged. In practical terms, the announcement leaves GameMaker Pro's major features concentrated in Build and CI tools and GMS2 support. That sharply reduces Pro's value for teams starting a new project on GMRT.

What does this change for studios and teams?

Teams starting clean can target GMRT without buying a Professional license and can use a runtime described as higher performance. They can also inspect and tailor the source code, with a potential path to contribute to future development. The immediate saving is the engine license for a commercial GMRT release; console work still carries separate Enterprise and approval requirements.

Studios with GMS2 games can continue using their Professional licenses for commercial distribution. The added GMS2 source access gives those teams more control over their existing runtime. Teams should separate migration decisions for GMRT from licensing decisions for each new project.

Russell Kay, Head of GameMaker, said: “From the very beginning, GameMaker has been committed to making game development more accessible and flexible for every creator out there.”

He continued: “As GMRT continues to roll out in beta across platforms, we are widening the scope of what we provide to developers. We are excited to see what the community comes up with as we embark on this fresh chapter for GameMaker.”

GameMaker's stated goal is accessibility and flexibility. The source-code availability and free GMRT commercial model reinforce that position. A “Made With GameMaker 2026” trailer also accompanies the announcement.

The immediate checkpoint is January 1, 2027, when GMRT projects can begin free commercial distribution. GMRT's progress out of beta, and any resulting studio adoption, will indicate whether the licensing shift changes new engine choices.