2023.2 Release

IDE v2023.2.0.71 Runtime v2023.2.0.87

There are a number of very important changes and additions in this release, so it’s very important that you do read these release notes very carefully before you update or open projects in this version.

The 2023.2 release brings support for a new particle editor inside the IDE, which you can now use to create your own particle systems and add them into the room editor or your sequences, so they appear in-game as you designed them and you can set behaviours such as triggering other systems when the current one ends. There are also a selection of example effects available to choose from.

Because this is an entirely new asset type which older IDEs and runtimes have no knowledge of, if you open or create any project in this new release it will not work in older GameMaker releases. If you think you might need to use an older IDE version again in future (SDK compatibility for a released game, for example), then please do ensure you backup your project first and also read these notes carefully.

Additionally, free users can now use more of the functionality inside GameMaker - and you can even now use the majority of the GameMaker IDE without even needing to sign-in. This is most useful for brand-new users, as now you can start GameMaker and explore it before you’re asked to register a new account and sign-in - now you will only have to sign-in before you can click the Create Exe button for any targets or before actively opening functionality which requires you to be signed in, such as downloading optional runtimes (the essential runtimes will be automatically installed when you first start GameMaker). As part of this change, all account-management links have been moved to a new accounts panel in the top-right corner and the Start Page no longer says your name or when you last logged-in.

Note that this change does not affect the usual 28-day licensing requirement for users who are signing-in, nor does it remove any other occasional internet requirements. Also, if you have an existing saved Preference for which runtimes should be downloaded this will be used when you update to the new version, rather than GameMaker only downloading the minimal set.

On the runtimes side, there are several new functions for creating loop points during audio playback and for managing your audio assets and SDF fonts; the ability to select from a list of new surface formats; support for your JavaScript extensions to inject into a HTML5 game’s .html file; and important FPS fixes for Android devices which have higher refresh rate screens.

Please do check your SDKs and other external tools are the correct versions before doing any builds, as you can see from the release notes pages that several platforms have been updated for this release - you can see our Required SDKs FAQ and the various platform setup guides that page links to in order to get all of this information at any time.

See below for all the IDE and runtime changes/fixes since 2023.1.1:
IDE Notes
Runtime Notes