GameMaker vs Open 3D Engine

GameMaker8.9Visit Open 3D Engine7.7Visit

Higher score GameMaker #3 in Game Engine Software 8.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit GameMaker

vs

Open 3D Engine #20 in Game Engine Software 7.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Visit Open 3D Engine

• GameMaker fits best

  2D creators needing broad publishing

• Open 3D Engine fits best

  Open-source modular 3D teams

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Side by side

Feature	GameMaker 8.9/10 Visit ↗	Open 3D Engine 7.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.9	7.7
Ranking	#3 in Game Engine Software	#20 in Game Engine Software
Best for	2D creators needing broad publishing	Open-source modular 3D teams
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free
Starting price	$799.99/yr	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Self-hosted
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, Linux
Support	Community, Docs, Tickets	Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features GameMaker 4/4 · Open 3D Engine 3/4
Visual scripting	✓	✓
Multiplayer tools	✓	✓
Mobile export	✓	✓
Console export	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Specs
Source code model	Source_available	Open_source
Target platforms	GX.games, Windows, macOS, Ubuntu, HTML5, Android, iOS, tvOS, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch	Windows, Linux, Android
Scripting languages	GML Code, GML Visual	C++, Lua, Script Canvas
Our review
Pros	Free access for non-commercial game development Exports to desktop, web, mobile, and GX.games Supports publishing for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch	Free and open source with a modular Gems architecture Physically based rendering, physics, networking, and visual scripting Supports Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and iOS development
Cons	Commercial publishing requires separate licensing Some export targets require separate licensing Its focus is 2D rather than a general-purpose engine	macOS and iOS support are documented as experimental Console deployment is not covered in the published platform details Its broad toolset may require more technical planning than narrower engines
Our verdict	GameMaker is a cross-platform 2D game development environment for indie developers and commercial studios. It provides an integrated environment for creating projects and supports publishing across desktop, web, mobile, GX.games, and… Read the review →	Open 3D Engine (O3DE) is an open-source, cross-platform real-time 3D engine for building games, simulations, and other interactive experiences. It is aimed at teams that want source-code access, modular engine components, and control over… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• GameMaker — where it wins

  • Free access for non-commercial game development
  • Exports to desktop, web, mobile, and GX.games
  • Supports publishing for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch

  Where it doesn't

  • Commercial publishing requires separate licensing
  • Some export targets require separate licensing
  • Its focus is 2D rather than a general-purpose engine

• Open 3D Engine — where it wins

  • Free and open source with a modular Gems architecture
  • Physically based rendering, physics, networking, and visual scripting
  • Supports Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and iOS development

  Where it doesn't

  • macOS and iOS support are documented as experimental
  • Console deployment is not covered in the published platform details
  • Its broad toolset may require more technical planning than narrower engines

• GameMaker8.9/10 · Free plan

  A focused 2D engine with free non-commercial access and wide export coverage.

  Visit GameMakerFull verdict →
• Open 3D Engine7.7/10 · Free plan

  A modular, open-source 3D engine for teams building games and interactive experiences.

  Visit Open 3D EngineFull verdict →