You can make and publish a commercial Windows game in GameMaker without a publisher. As of 29 October 2026, a game made with the GMS2 runtime needs the one-time $99.99 GameMaker Professional licence before you accept sales, paid downloads or donations. Build the Windows target, test it outside the editor, choose Create Executable, then use Package as Installer for general downloads or Package as Zip for Steam. You can put a downloadable build on itch.io the same day and prepare Steamworks in parallel. A major licensing change starts on 1 January 2027: commercial distribution of games using the newer GMRT runtime on desktop, mobile, web and GX Games becomes free, but GMS2 commercial distribution still requires Professional and console exports still require Enterprise plus platform-holder approval.
What licence do I need to sell a GameMaker PC game?
For a paid Windows game released today, buy GameMaker Professional before publishing. GameMaker’s licence article, updated 22 October 2026, says the Free tier permits sharing only when the project does not make money. Its current Get-page FAQ is explicit: “If you want to make money from your game, you need to buy a Commercial License for $99.99.” That includes a store sale, a paid download on your own site and a page that can collect money.
Professional is a one-time $99.99 purchase (or local equivalent) and covers commercial exports for GX Games, Windows, macOS, Ubuntu, HTML5, Android, iOS and tvOS. To buy it, sign in at gamemaker.io/account, use the Get page and complete Stripe Checkout. The dashboard then marks Professional as Purchased; download the IDE from the Download page and let its first launch install additional components.
GameMaker does not force a watermark or splash screen on Free, Professional or Enterprise builds. That is separate from whether you are allowed to earn money from the build.
| Tier | Commercial desktop use | Other targets | Price checked October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Non-commercial only; projects may be shared only if they make no money | Non-commercial sharing on supported platforms | Free |
| Professional | Commercial GMS2 games for Windows, macOS and Ubuntu | GX Games, HTML5, Android, iOS and tvOS | $99.99 one-time |
| Enterprise Subscription | Everything in Professional | Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch, subject to approval | $79.99 monthly or $799.99 yearly |
The Enterprise price and targets come from GameMaker’s 2026 licence information. Enterprise does not bypass a console holder’s developer programme or approval process.
Can I set an itch.io game to “$0 or donate” on the Free licence?
Do not treat a donation button as a safe Free-tier loophole. If the page can take money, it conflicts with the stated non-commercial grant; the official material retrieved for this guide does not establish a special exception for voluntary itch.io donations. Buy Professional for a commercial GMS2 release today, or use GMRT for a qualifying commercial release after 1 January 2027.
What changes on 1 January 2027?
GameMaker’s 23 October 2026 announcement says GMRT becomes free for commercial distribution on desktop, mobile, web and GX Games from 1 January 2027. That is a runtime-specific change, not a blanket statement that every GameMaker project is permanently free to sell.
- GMRT: a game using the GMRT runtime can be commercially distributed on the listed targets without Professional from 1 January 2027.
- GMS2: commercial distribution still needs Professional after that date. Existing Professional owners retain GMS2 commercial rights and gain access to GMS2 runtime source code.
- Consoles: either runtime still requires Enterprise and approved-developer status with the platform holder.
- Availability: GMRT continues to roll out in beta across platforms. Confirm that the Windows target and features you need are shipping before making it the foundation of a 2027 launch.
The Get-page FAQ still contains older wording that says commercial GMRT would require Professional. Prefer the 23 October GameMaker announcement for the 2027 rule, and the licence article/Get page for the current 2026 requirement and no-watermark policy. Existing tier prices are unchanged.
Should a new paid Windows game use GMS2 or GMRT?
Use the runtime that matches your launch date and the target features you actually need. GMS2 is the mature, established path and is commercially usable now with Professional. GMRT is the potentially lower-cost path for a PC game launching from 1 January 2027, but its beta rollout means target readiness matters more than the licence headline.
| Decision point | GMS2 runtime | GMRT runtime |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial Windows release today | Professional required | Check the beta target and current licensing status before relying on it |
| Commercial Windows release from 1 January 2027 | Professional still required | Commercial desktop distribution becomes free |
| Runtime maturity | Established GameMaker runtime | Continuing beta rollout across platforms |
| Console export | Enterprise plus approved developer status | Enterprise plus approved developer status |
| Source access | Professional owners gain GMS2 runtime source access under the 2026 announcement | Source code access is promised across every tier |
There are no published GMRT-versus-GMS2 Windows performance percentages in the available material. Do not choose one on an assumed frame-rate advantage.
What do I need before building the Windows version?
Install GameMaker, select Windows Desktop as the target and decide whether you will compile with VM or YYC. GameMaker is a 2D-centred, cross-platform engine with object, room, image, tile, script, audio and animation tools, a programming language, drag-and-drop actions and Git integration.
VM or YYC?
| Compiler | Best use | Requirements and limits |
|---|---|---|
| VM | Fast iteration, debugging and ordinary development builds | No additional compiler toolchain; slower runtime than YYC in some workloads |
| YYC | Release builds where faster runtime execution, especially for logic-heavy games, is useful | Needs Visual Studio; compilation is slower and the GameMaker debugger does not operate on YYC runs |
For YYC, GameMaker’s Windows guidance intends Visual Studio 2022; the free 2026 Community Edition is also suitable. Visual Studio 2019 still works but cannot create YYC ARM64 native packages. Install the Desktop development with C++ workload, retain the v142 (Visual Studio 2019) build tools, and keep the Windows 11 SDK selected by Visual Studio. ARM machines need the additional ARM packages.
Point GameMaker to the developer-command script under File > Preferences > Platform Settings > Windows. A default Community 2022 path is C:Program FilesMicrosoft Visual Studio2022CommunityCommon7ToolsVsDevCmd.bat; for Visual Studio 2026, change the year directory to 18. Check GameMaker’s required-SDK guidance before installing toolchains: versions that are too new can break a build just as older versions can.
Since GameMaker 2022.8.0, Windows packages are 64-bit only. An ARM64 package does not run on x64 Windows. The current material does not establish a minimum PC specification for running the IDE, so use GameMaker’s system-requirements page rather than relying on an invented RAM or CPU figure.
How do I make the game in GameMaker?
Build a complete, repeatable Windows release rather than treating the editor project as the product the player receives.
- Set the Windows target. In the IDE, select Windows Desktop and confirm the project’s display, input, save-data and controller behaviour on that target.
- Prototype the core loop. Use rooms, objects, scripts, sprites, tiles and audio to establish a playable loop before expanding content.
- Keep the project reproducible. Store source in version control, include required assets and record the GameMaker version and SDK versions used for each release.
- Test outside the IDE. Run a clean exported build on a machine that does not have GameMaker installed. Check first launch, save paths, resolution changes, controller detection, alt-tab, closing behaviour and what happens when the game lacks internet access.
- Prepare release metadata. Replace default icons and “Untitled Project” window text, set the product name and version, and collect screenshots and store copy before upload.
- Choose a release compiler. VM is the simpler path when debugging a late bug; YYC is an optional release optimisation that requires the Visual Studio setup above.
How do I export a Windows game?
With the Windows target configured and the build tested, click Create Executable at the top of the IDE. GameMaker asks whether to package an Installer or Zip unless Preferences has already fixed that choice.
Package as Installer
GameMaker recommends Package as Installer for general distribution. It installs the required files together, lets Windows treat the game as an installed application, creates shortcuts and adds an uninstall entry in Control Panel. This is a sensible download for your own site or an itch.io page intended for ordinary Windows users.
Package as Zip
Package as Zip produces a compressed archive that the player extracts. It contains a standalone executable and files but does not create shortcuts. Steam requires this format: sending Steam an installer executable causes the game to fail for players. Steam can receive the compressed Windows zip or, more commonly, the extracted loose files arranged in its depot structure.
| Destination | Use | Important requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Own website or ordinary direct download | Installer is the recommended general package | Include a clear install and uninstall path |
| itch.io downloadable project | Zip or installer can be offered; a zip is easy to upload | Mark it as a downloadable Windows project, not browser-playable unless you also have an HTML5 build |
| Steam | Package as Zip, then upload through SteamPipe | Do not upload the installer executable |
Windows, macOS and Linux exports have different Steam formats. The Steamworks guidance calls for a compressed Windows .zip, a macOS .app.zip with “Build for Mac App Store” disabled, and a compressed Linux/Ubuntu .zip; do not choose a .dmg for Steam.
How do I publish the Windows build on itch.io?
itch.io is the quickest public release route: publishing is free, there is no store review, and a page can be live the same day. A 2026 storefront guide reports a creator-chosen revenue share with a default of 10 percent; treat that figure as the guide’s description of the default, not a universal contractual rate.
- Sign in to itch.io and choose Upload new project.
- Set the project kind to Downloadable.
- Upload the Windows zip (or the installer package you intend players to download). Do not tick Played in the browser unless you are also supplying an HTML5 build.
- Choose a fixed price, no payment, or pay-what-you-want. If the page can receive money, use the appropriate commercial GameMaker licence for the runtime.
- Add a cover image at 630×500, screenshots, a description, system requirements and a version number.
- Set visibility to Public, save and download the published file as a player would.
Upload the same clean Windows build you plan to support elsewhere, but keep store-specific patches and launch instructions separate. A public itch page is also useful for finding missing redistributables, bad save paths or incorrect window titles before you submit a Steam build.
How do I put a GameMaker game on Steam?
Steam is a Steamworks project, not a drag-and-drop upload of the installer. You need a Steam account, a Steamworks partner account, the Steam Direct fee, tax and identity verification, a Windows zip and a depot configured to launch the GameMaker executable.
- Open Steamworks. Go to partner.steamgames.com, add the account that will manage the product and complete the requested tax and identity steps.
- Pay the product fee. GameMaker’s Steamworks help article says the Steam Direct fee is $100 per product “at the time of writing.” Pay the Product Submission Fee to receive the app credit.
- Create the app. Choose Create new app and write down the package IDs before closing the prompt. Add the appropriate build account permission to edit App Metadata and Public App Changes.
- Configure metadata and platforms. In Edit Steamworks Settings, confirm the name and type, select supported operating systems, and add the Windows launch option under Installation > General. The launch option must point to the GameMaker executable filename.
- Create a depot. Create or rename a SteamPipe depot, such as “Windows Content,” set its language and platform, save it and add it to the package.
- Build the upload. Export with Package as Zip, then prepare the compressed files or extracted loose files in the depot layout. Upload through SteamPipe using the SDK version named by GameMaker’s Required SDKs page; extract that SDK to a short path such as
C:SteamworksSDK. - Publish the configuration. Use View Diffs > Prepare for Publishing > Publish to Steam, enter the confirmation code and select Really Publish.
- Add the store page. Supply capsule, header and library art, short and long descriptions, screenshots or a trailer, supported-language information and system requirements. You can use a Coming Soon page while you finish the build.
How do Steam achievements, cloud saves and overlay work?
Use GameMaker’s official Steamworks extension from the Marketplace: marketplace.gamemaker.io/assets/10709/steamworks-ext. The GitHub release may contain newer fixes but can be less stable; prefer the Marketplace extension unless you need a specific release. The extension package is a .yymps, and its included PDF or wiki explains setup for IDE/runtime 2022.6 and later.
Do not apply Steam’s DRM Wrapper to a GameMaker executable. GameMaker’s runner already uses Steam’s SteamAPI_RestartAppIfNecessary path, and the wrapper may produce an error. The Steam Client must be open when testing Steam API integration. Running the compiled executable can restart it under Steam, and API changes often require pushing a test build to Steam because the Steam copy, rather than the editor copy, is what launches in the relevant environment.
How long does Steam publishing take?
There is no single guaranteed schedule in the GameMaker documentation. A June 2026 third-party storefront guide estimates roughly one to five business days for Valve’s build and store-page review and recommends opening a Coming Soon page two to six months before release to accumulate wishlists. Treat those as planning estimates from that guide, not a Valve promise. Account verification, missing metadata, failed builds or a requested correction can add time.
Do I need a publisher to release a PC game?
No. You can own the store accounts, pay the Steam Direct fee, upload the build and handle support yourself. itch.io has no editorial review and can be public the same day; Steam supplies a larger storefront workflow with metadata, review and wishlists. The same Windows build can be distributed on both stores, provided each store’s packaging and launch requirements are met.
A publisher may still be useful for funding, localisation, marketing, certification or console relationships, but none of those services is a prerequisite for a self-published Windows release.
What is the most reliable release order?
For a first commercial PC game, publish a small public build before committing to a store launch deadline.
- Finish a clean Windows export and test it on a computer without the editor.
- Publish the downloadable build on itch.io and ask players to report installation, save and controller problems.
- Open Steamworks, complete verification and create the app while the itch build is live.
- Set up depots, launch options and store assets; upload a zip through SteamPipe.
- Integrate Steam features only after the base executable launches correctly, then test with the Steam Client open.
- Use a Coming Soon page and wishlist period if your marketing plan needs one, and publish the final Steam build after the review and metadata checks are complete.
What commonly goes wrong?
- Accepting money on Free: a $0 price does not make a donation-capable page non-commercial. Remove payment collection or obtain the applicable commercial licence.
- Buying Professional but exporting a console build: Professional does not unlock Xbox, PlayStation or Switch. Those targets require Enterprise and platform-holder approval.
- Uploading an installer to Steam: rebuild with Package as Zip; Steam players need the zip/depot structure.
- YYC build errors: verify the Visual Studio C++ workload, v142 tools, Windows 11 SDK and the
VsDevCmd.batpath. VM can produce a debug build while you resolve toolchain issues. - Testing Steam APIs with Steam closed: start the Steam Client and test the uploaded Steam copy, not only the IDE run.
- Assuming every GMRT target is ready: check the current beta status for Windows and the specific features your release needs before dropping Professional from a 2027 plan.
- Using an obsolete Mac remote-worker guide: GameMaker removed Remote Worker in January 2022, so old Mac-to-Windows instructions are legacy advice.
How we picked the recommended path
The workflow prioritises the licence that is valid for the launch date, the export format each storefront actually accepts, the lowest-friction first public release and the official GameMaker/Steamworks setup requirements. It does not assume a performance advantage for GMRT, YYC or any store, because no comparable published benchmark was established.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sell a GMS2 game on Steam after 1 January 2027 without Professional?
No. The 2027 commercial-free change applies to games using GMRT on desktop, mobile, web and GX Games. A commercially distributed game using the GMS2 runtime still requires Professional.
Is YYC required for a Steam release?
No. Steam accepts a correctly packaged Windows build; YYC is an optional compiler choice. VM is useful for debugging and fast iteration, while YYC requires Visual Studio and does not provide the GameMaker debugger during YYC runs.
Can one Windows build be released on both itch.io and Steam?
Yes. The executable and game data can be shared between stores, but Steam needs a zip/depot upload and Steam-specific launch configuration. Keep each store’s installer instructions, metadata and update process separate.
What should I check if my Steam build works in the IDE but not from Steam?
Open the Steam Client, verify that the launch option names the exported executable exactly, and test the uploaded Steam copy. GameMaker’s runner already handles Steam restart detection, so adding Steam’s DRM Wrapper can create an avoidable failure.
Does a publisher handle the GameMaker licence for me?
Not automatically. If your project is made with GMS2 and earns money, the commercial GameMaker licence requirement still applies to the project; a publisher may fund or distribute the game but does not remove the runtime licensing rule.