YoyoGames, the creators of GameMaker Studio, just announced a new cheaper “Creator” edition. Creator edition is available for $39 per year on Windows and Mac ( each being a separate purchase per platform ).
Currently available on the store, Creator edition offers the following functionality:
Creator Windows
GameMaker Studio 2 Creator Windows lets you create games for Windows. Get unlimited resources and release your games to stores such as Steam and itch.io.
Creator Windows features are only available on Windows PCs.
- Unlimited Resources
- Integrated Source Control
- Texture Management
- SWF / Spine Support
- Extensions
- Marketplace
- Windows Export
So, what’s the catch? Why buy this instead of the $99 developer edition? Here are the details of the Creator edition from the FAQ:
With the Creator Licence you unlock the power of GameMaker Studio 2 and get access to unlimited resources as well as the possibility to create a final executable of any project you make. You can buy either a Windows or a macOS licence, meaning that you will only be able to compile a final executable for one or the other depending on which you bought, although you can use the IDE on both Windows and macOS (just download which ever one is appropriate from the Downloads section of your YoYo Account).
It is worth noting that the Creator Licence will not permit you to change the Splash Screen of your projects, nor can you disable anonymous game analytics, and your executables will be compiled using the VM with no YYC option. You do, however, get access to the Marketplace where you can find assets of all kinds, or even make and sell your own.
The Creator licence is a 12 month non-renewing licence, and at the end of the 12 month period you will need to buy another licence to continue using GMS2 fully. The Licence is designed for hobby developers or for people that just want to have fun making small projects for themselves, as well as those people that want to learn to use the product without having to pay a larger initial amount.
Essentially the catch is a required splash screen, while only being able to compile for the platform your purchased a license for (Windows or Mac).