Details on GameMaker Studio 2 features roll out as limited beta begins

GameMaker creator YoYo Games has officially announced its new game development tool GameMaker Studio 2. The reveal also included info on a slew of new features, pricing details for platform-based licenses, and the announcement of a limited-access beta.

The first wave of beta invites have already been claimed, but developers should still keep Studio 2 on their radar. More beta slots will open up in the future, and the new and expanded game development tools in Studio 2 just might be worth waiting for.

Some of the new features, such as drag and drop nodular programming, a layer-based image editor, upgraded tile editor, redesigned workspaces, and layer-based level editing, are shown in a series of videos posted along with the announcement. 

YoYo Games has also opted to sell licenses for Studio 2 through one-time purchases on a per-platform basis, rather than granting access through a subscription plan. 

GameMaker Studio 2 will start at $99.99 for desktop development, with increasing prices for web, UWP, mobile, and console licenses. Existing GameMaker users will be able to pick up the product for a discounted rate as well.