GameMaker will make GMRT free for commercial use
GameMaker will let developers commercially use its GMRT runtime for free from January 2027, with source access across every tier.
GameMaker says its next-generation runtime, GMRT, will become free for commercial use from January 1, 2027. The company says developers will be able to build and commercially distribute games made with GMRT without buying a Professional licence, while source-code access will be available across every tier. 12
The announcement covers desktop, mobile, web and GX Games. GameMaker says the change is intended to simplify the commercial model for new projects and give creators more freedom to explore, modify and adapt the technology to their own needs. GMRT is still rolling out in beta across platforms. 1
The new terms apply to GMRT, not every part of GameMaker’s existing product line. Developers who already own a Professional licence will continue to be able to commercially distribute games made with the existing GMS2 runtime. They will also receive access to GMS2 runtime source code, according to GameMaker’s announcement. 1
Console development remains a separate matter. Regardless of runtime, developers will still need an Enterprise licence and approved-developer status to export to consoles. GameMaker also says there will be no changes to existing tier pricing. 12
What changes in 2027
The practical change is that a developer using GMRT will not need the Professional tier simply to release a commercial game on the covered non-console platforms. That removes one licensing step for creators whose projects do not need console export, while the source-access change gives teams more scope to inspect the runtime and tailor it to their work.
GameMaker’s head of GameMaker, Russell Kay, said the company wants the technology to be more accessible and flexible. The announcement positions GMRT as part of that longer-term effort rather than as a one-off price cut. 1
Our opinion
Free commercial use is the headline, but source access may be the more consequential part for experienced developers. A lower barrier helps people start a project; the ability to inspect and adapt the runtime can matter later, when a game’s technical needs stop matching the default tools.
The limits are important, particularly for console teams. GMRT’s new terms do not turn every GameMaker export into a free commercial pipeline, and existing pricing is not being replaced across the board. Still, from January 2027, developers targeting desktop, mobile, web or GX Games will have a simpler route from prototype to paid release. That is a meaningful shift for an engine trying to make indie development more accessible.