# GameMaker + GML
URL: https://wwadd.dev/stacks/gamemaker-gml
Last verified: 2026-09-30

An editor-led workflow for 2D games: rooms and objects for composition, GML for reusable gameplay, and platform exports for release.

## When to use it
- A solo developer or small team is building a 2D game
- Designers want to arrange rooms, sprites, and objects in an editor
- The team is comfortable with a proprietary engine and commercial export terms

## How the pieces fit
GameMaker owns rooms, sprites, objects, and the export pipeline. Object events drive gameplay; use GML functions and scripts for shared rules rather than copying logic between objects. Keep input, game state, and presentation separate enough to test them. Prototype the controls and performance on the target hardware early, and confirm commercial licensing and platform access before release.

## The tech and its role
- GameMaker: 2D editor, assets, rooms, objects, and platform exports
- GML: Object-event logic and reusable gameplay functions

## Real-world examples
- Undertale: The official GameMaker showcase lists Toby Fox's RPG. Engine example; the source does not document its internal code organization. (source: https://gamemaker.io/en/showcase/undertale)
- Hotline Miami: The official showcase lists Dennaton Games' top-down action game. An example of a released GameMaker title, not a template for current export or licensing requirements. (source: https://gamemaker.io/en/showcase/hotline-miami)

## Skip if
Skip if 3D is central, an open-source engine is required, or the team wants Lua rather than GML.