Wolfire Games Release Overgrowth Source Code

Game developer Wolfire Games have just released the source code to both the game and the game engine behind Overgrowth. Overgrowth is a 3D action adventure game starring anthropomorphized animal characters. The source code is released under the permissive Apache 2.0 code license. Game assets however are not released, so if you wish to run the game, you still need to purchase a copy. They did however reduce the games price by 1/3rd globally for those that are interested in checking it out. Overgrowth runs on Windows, Mac and Linux and detailed building instructions are available on Github.

Details of the Overgrowth code release from the Wolfire Blog:

We have worked on Overgrowth for 14 years. It is our longest running, ongoing project, and a massive reason why we have continued to work on the game is the fantastic fan response and following. Not only have people all over the globe continued to play and enjoy Overgrowth for years, but the community has had an enormous impact on the project as well. From the helpful feedback that led to better updates, to the amazing modders who expand what you can do in the game, to the talented artists and creators who expand upon Overgrowth’s style and lore. This game has been shaped and crafted in no small part by the people who play it.

So what’s the next step? How do we honor the community that helped build this game? We are pleased to announce that Overgrowth’s code is now open source! Not only that, but we’re also permanently reducing the game’s price by a third worldwide, from $29.99 to $19.99 in the US.

Only the code is getting open sourced, not the art assets or levels, the reason is that we don’t want someone to build and sell Overgrowth as their own. We’re using the Apache 2.0 license, which allows you to do whatever you want with the code, with very few obligations. It’s easy to compile and run the official Overgrowth game using the open source code, so you don’t need a lot of technical knowledge to get started.

To be clear, this is not “the next big engine”. Since great open source game engines like Godot exist, using Overgrowth’s engine for your next game project is a bad choice in almost all cases. However, if you‥

  • Are interested in looking at what shipped game code can look like.
  • Want to look at specific code, like the procedural animation system.
  • Are an Overgrowth modder who wants to make a more involved total conversion or mod.

Then this is for you!


Key Links

I always like to see source code releases like this, as it not only guarantees the longevity of the title for game fans, it also introduces a new learning resource into the development community and hopefully helps extend the commercial success of the game. You can learn more about the open source code release of Overgrowth in the video below.

Scroll to Top