There are a number of different GameMaker Studio 2 subscription options, but which one is the best for me?
That's a question only you can answer, but at least we can help you make your decision by outlining the key aspects of each subscription, as well as what the intention behind each one is...
Free
A free licence is granted to you automatically when you register your YoYo Account.
This version is ideal for people who want to use GameMaker Studio 2 to learn how to make games and share their creations on GXC through the Opera GX target.
It is also useful for those who want to try it before committing to buying a licence, as it permits you to test out almost all of the features of GameMaker Studio 2 and does not have a time limit.
Please be aware that apart from publishing on GXC, this version does not permit you to create sharable executables of your games through other targets, and there are also a few other restrictions, so for all the information, see this FAQ about the free licence.
Note, you cannot currently use your free subscription with any of our Steam products.
Creator Subscription
The Creator Subscription, as with all of our subscriptions, is paid on a Monthly or Yearly basis. When you have this subscription tier you get access to all of the export categories listed below, access to our Beta Builds, the additional higher-performance YoYo Compiler ("YYC") export type, and built-in support for adding third-party extensions to your projects.
- Desktop Exports -The Desktop exports lets you create games for Windows, macOS, and Ubuntu. Games made with these exports can be shared and played by anyone on a home computer, as well as uploaded to the many desktop games online stores, such as Steam, Humble or Itch.io.
Indie Subscription
The Indie Subscription, as with all of our subscriptions, is paid on a Monthly or Yearly basis. When you have this subscription tier you get access to everything outlined in the Creator Subscription, including the Desktop export above, access to our Beta Builds, the additional higher-performance YoYo Compiler ("YYC") export type and built-in support for adding third-party extensions to your projects.
The Indie Subscription is ideal for devs looking to release their games on non-console platforms, as well as for studios looking for a fast cross-platform tool to target the various different app stores. You can find a list below of the export categories that are included:
- Desktop Exports -The Desktop exports lets you create games for Windows, macOS, and Ubuntu. Games made with these exports can be shared and played by anyone on a home computer, as well as uploaded to the many desktop games online stores, such as Steam, Humble or Itch.io.
- Web Export - The Web export permits you to create HTML5 games, which is a technology standard supported by an array of popular browsers, such as Opera, Chrome, Safari, Edge, and Firefox. Games made with this export can be hosted on your own webserver and played by any desktop or mobile user who accesses your site, plus you can publish on Itch.io, Newgrounds, or any other popular HTML5 game publishing site.
- Mobile Exports - The Mobile Exports allows you to target Android (including Amazon Fire), iOS (including iPadOS) and tvOS devices. Games made using these exports can be distributed through stores like the Apple App Store, Google Play or Amazon.
- UWP Export - The UWP Export allows you to compile your games for the Microsoft Store, which supports Windows 10 PCs and even Xbox One through the Creators Program. Note that Microsoft no longer supports Windows 10 Mobile phones.
Enterprise Subscription
The Enterprise Subscription, as with all of our subscriptions, is paid on a Monthly or Yearly basis.
When you have this subscription tier you get access to everything outlined in the Indie Subscription, including the exports above, access to our Beta Builds, the additional higher-performance YoYo Compiler ("YYC") export type and built-in support for adding third-party extensions to your projects. In addition, you will get the export categories listed below, additional dedicated support from the Helpdesk and access to additional building options (for Automation and Build Pipelines; includes Command-Line Building)
Note that access to see any of our console development documentation will require you to have already successfully signed up with the respective console manufacturer as a developer (links given below) and validated this information with us, at which time your account will be unlocked to allow access to the console(s) you validated only.
The available Console exports are:
- PlayStation® - This licence gives you the power to test, debug and build games for the Sony PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®5 (register here). Please note, the Sony PlayStation®5 export is currently in closed beta but the full commercial launch is expected in March 2021. Developers using GameMaker to develop games for the PlayStation®5 and the PlayStation®4 generation will require either a GameMaker Studio 2 PlayStation or Ultimate license.
- Xbox- This licence gives you the power to test, debug and build games for the Microsoft Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S (register here). Please note, the Microsoft Xbox Series X|S export is currently in closed beta but the full commercial launch is expected in March 2021. Developers using GameMaker to develop games for the Xbox Series X|S consoles and the Xbox One generation will require either a GameMaker Studio 2 Xbox or Ultimate license.
- Nintendo Switch - This licence gives you the power to test, debug and build games for the Nintendo Switch (register here).
- Ultimate - This licence gives you the ultimate in export options for your projects, as it includes every export target GMS2 offers for one (significantly reduced compared to if you bought them all separately) payment. Note that whilst all consoles are included in the purchase, it's still only those you are validated for which will actually be available to you.
Note, you cannot currently get Console Exports through the Steam client.
Education Licences
The Education licences are reserved for schools who want to teach GameMaker in an educational environment.
Each Education account is provided with a single permanent 'Teacher' licence to allow the software to be installed, evaluated, and to plan potential classes prior to making a purchase. The 'Teacher' licence includes all the functionality of an Educator licence, as shown below.
Beyond that, you purchase a "seat" for each student/other staff member who needs to be able to use GMS. The seat licences available for purchase are:
- Educator - This includes all functionality of the Desktop licence
- Educator Plus - This includes all functionality of the Desktop and Web licences
- Achiever - This includes all functionality of the Desktop, Web, Mobile, UWP and Sony PS4 licences
These licence types are available on 1-month/1-year/2-year durations and have a minimum purchase of 5 seats per licence type. More detailed information on pricing can be found on our Education Page.
Be aware that to be able to purchase Education licences you will need to submit a request to us so that we can verify the educational licences will be used for educational purposes. For more information, please see the following FAQ section: