Editing GameMaker (section)

== Overview ==
GameMaker is primarily intended for making games with [[2D computer graphics|2D]] graphics, allowing [[Out of the box (feature)|out-of-box]] use of [[raster graphics]], [[vector graphics]] (via [[SWF]]),<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/gamemaker-studio-2-gets-new-low-cost-creators-edition- |title=GameMaker Studio 2 gets new low-cost 'Creators Edition' |last=Kerr |first=Chris|access-date=9 May 2018 |language=en}}</ref> and 2D [[skeletal animation]]s (via Esoteric Software's Spine)<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.brokenjoysticks.net/2017/03/12/game-maker-studio-takes-on-titans/|title=GDC17: GameMaker Studios 2.0 Takes On Industry Titans {{!}} Broken Joysticks|date=12 March 2017|work=Broken Joysticks|access-date=9 May 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=7 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180907195535/https://www.brokenjoysticks.net/2017/03/12/game-maker-studio-takes-on-titans/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yoyogames.com/blog/43/skeletal-animation-sprites-using-spine|title=Skeletal Animation Sprites Using Spine {{!}} Blog {{!}} YoYo Games|website=Yoyo Games|language=en|access-date=9 May 2018|archive-date=1 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601133948/https://www.yoyogames.com/blog/43/skeletal-animation-sprites-using-spine|url-status=dead}}</ref> along with a large standard library for drawing graphics and 2D [[Primitives (computer graphics)|primitives]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://docs2.yoyogames.com/source/_build/3_scripting/4_gml_reference/drawing/index.html |title=Drawing |website=docs2.yoyogames.com |access-date=9 May 2018 |archive-date=23 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210823100510/http://docs2.yoyogames.com/source/_build/3_scripting/4_gml_reference/drawing/index.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> While the software allows for limited use of [[3D computer graphics|3D graphics]], this is in form of [[Vertex Buffer|vertex buffer]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://docs2.yoyogames.com/source/_build/3_scripting/4_gml_reference/drawing/primitives/index.html |title=Drawing And Creating Primitives |website=docs2.yoyogames.com|access-date=9 May 2018}}</ref> and [[Transformation matrix|matrix]] functions, and as such not intended for novice users.

The engine uses [[Direct3D]] on Windows, UWP, and Xbox One; [[OpenGL]] on macOS and Linux; [[OpenGL ES]] on Android and iOS, [[WebGL]] or [[Canvas element|2d canvas]] on HTML5, and proprietary APIs on [[Video game console|consoles]].

The engine's primary element is an IDE with built-in editors for raster graphics, [[level design]], scripting, [[Path (graph theory)|paths]], and [[shader]]s ([[Glsl|GLSL]] or [[High-Level Shading Language|HLSL]]).<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.macrumors.com/2017/09/02/gamemaker-studio-2-debuts-on-macos/ |title=2D Game Development Engine 'GameMaker Studio 2' Debuts on macOS|access-date=9 May 2018 |language=en}}</ref> Additional functionality can be implemented in software's scripting language or platform-specific native extensions.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://venturebeat.com/2017/05/23/gamemaker-studio-2-gets-an-education-edition/ |title=GameMaker Studio 2 gets an education edition |date=23 May 2017 |work=VentureBeat|access-date=9 May 2018 |language=en-US}}</ref> In GameMaker Studio 2, users can choose whether to export the game as an [[Nullsoft Scriptable Install System|NSIS]] installer, or a [[.zip]] file containing the game, the data.win file, and any files added under the "Included Files" tab in the editor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://docs2.yoyogames.com/source/_build/1_overview/2_quick_start/6_compiling.html|title=Compiling|website=docs2.yoyogames.com|access-date=2019-02-20|archive-date=9 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109183609/https://docs2.yoyogames.com/source/_build/1_overview/2_quick_start/6_compiling.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Supported platforms ===
GameMaker supports building for [[Microsoft Windows]], [[macOS]], [[Ubuntu (operating system)|Ubuntu]], [[HTML5]], [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[iOS]], [[Amazon Fire TV]], [[Android TV]], [[Raspberry Pi]],<ref>{{cite web |title=YoYo Games expand their Linux support in GameMaker Studio 2 to the Raspberry Pi |url=https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2020/12/yoyo-games-expand-their-linux-support-in-gamemaker-studio-2-to-the-raspberry-pi |website=GamingOnLinux |date=21 December 2020 |language=en}}</ref> [[Universal Windows Platform apps|Microsoft UWP]], [[PlayStation 4]], [[Nintendo Switch]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/2018/3/9/17100548/gamemaker-studio-2-nintendo-switch-undertale |title=Undertale coming to Switch brings indie games' GameMaker Studio engine with it |last=Good |first=Owen |date=9 March 2018 |work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |access-date=9 March 2018}}</ref> and [[Xbox One]];<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.syracuse.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2014/11/learn_how_to_make_your_own_games_with_gamemaker_studio_at_retrogamecon.html |title=Learn how to make your own video games with GameMaker: Studio at RetroGameCon |author=Evan Lewis |date=6 November 2014 |publisher=Syracuse Media Group |access-date=2 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.polygon.com/2014/1/22/5333982/this-will-let-you-say-happy-birthday-get-well-soon-with-a-video-game |title=This will let you say 'Happy Birthday,' 'Get Well Soon' with a video game |date=22 January 2014 |publisher=Alexa Ray Corriea |access-date=23 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/no-coding-required-how-new-designers-are-using-gamemaker-to-create-indie-smash-hits/ |title=No coding required: How new designers are using GameMaker to create indie smash hits |work=PC Gamer |date=31 July 2014 |access-date=15 January 2015 |last1=Moore |first1=Bo }}</ref> support for [[PlayStation 5]] and [[Xbox Series X and Series S|Xbox Series X|S]] was announced in February 2021<ref>{{cite magazine |title=GameMaker Studio 2 launches support for PS5 and Xbox Series X{{!}}S {{!}} Development News |url=https://www.mcvuk.com/development-news/gamemaker-studio-2-launches-support-for-ps5-and-xbox-series-xs/ |magazine=MCV/DEVELOP |date=25 February 2021}}</ref> though an "Enterprise" license is needed to build games for these consoles.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GameMaker Runtime Licence - Enterprise |url=https://gamemaker.io/en/legal/gamemaker-runtime-licence-enterprise |access-date=2024-06-07 |website=GameMaker |language=en}}</ref>

In past, GameMaker supported building for [[Windows Phone]] (deprecated in favor of UWP), [[Tizen]], [[PlayStation 3]], and [[PlayStation Vita]] (not supported in GMS2 "largely for business reasons").<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/gamemaker/comments/5d2y93/we_are_yoyogames_we_recently_announced_gamemaker/da1dytt/ |title=We are YoYoGames, we recently announced GameMaker Studio 2. Ask us anything. • r/gamemaker |website=reddit |date=15 November 2016 |language=en|access-date=9 May 2018}}</ref>

[[PlayStation Portable]] support was demonstrated in May 2010,<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/PSP/Game+Maker+Runner/news.asp?c=20401 |title=Create games for your PSP with Game Maker |work=Pocket Gamer|access-date=8 May 2018}}</ref> but never made publicly available (with only a small selection of titles using it).<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/PSP/They+Need+To+Be+Fed/news.asp?c=20574 |title=Indie platformer They Need To Be Fed coming to PSP |work=Pocket Gamer|access-date=8 May 2018}}</ref>

Between 2007 and 2011, YoYo Games maintained a custom web player plugin for GameMaker games<ref>{{cite web|title=GMking's MarkUp Magazine - Issue 12|url=https://archive.org/stream/GmkingsMarkupMagazine-Issue12/MarkUp_12#page/n42/mode/1up|language=en}}</ref> before releasing it as open-source mid-2011<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yoyogames.com/blog/152/yoyo-website-plans|title=YoYo Website plans {{!}} Blog {{!}} YoYo Games|website=Yoyo Games|language=en|access-date=9 May 2018|archive-date=30 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180630024711/https://www.yoyogames.com/blog/152/yoyo-website-plans|url-status=dead}}</ref> and finally deprecating in favor of HTML5 export.

Prior to August 2021, users had to obtain a single-purchase license for one of five different platforms, excluding consoles, depending on the target platform they wanted to publish on (such as desktop or mobile). An annual license was required to publish for consoles, which was also contained in an all-encompassing annual Ultimate license that covered all supported platforms. Yoyo Games announced a change to the licensing approach in August 2021, allowing GameMaker to be used for free to learn, and eliminating the single-purchase options. Instead, it simplified the license scheme to only two tiers, one that supported publishing on all non-console platforms, and a higher tier that added in console platform publishing support at a lower rate than the prior Ultimate license. These changes were aided by the financial investment of Opera into YoYo Games to help reduce costs for GameMaker users.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-08-10-yoyo-games-streamlines-gamemaker-licenses-offers-new-free-version | title = YoYo Games streamlines GameMaker licenses, offers new free version | first = Marie | last = Dealessandri | date = August 10, 2021 | accessdate = August 10, 2021 | work = [[GamesIndustry.biz]] }}</ref> On 22 November 2023, GameMaker announced that it would be "free for non-commercial use on all platforms (excluding console)," and the current subscription system would be replaced by a one-time license.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://twitter.com/GameMakerEngine/status/1726949064196128776 | title = GameMaker Free for non-commercial use | date = November 22, 2023 | access-date=November 22, 2023 | work = [[twitter.com]] }}</ref>