The end of GameMaker Server

Hi everyone!

As I announced a few years ago, GameMaker Server would stay online until the end of 2023 at the very least. Now that we're well into 2023, I'd like to share my plans for GameMaker Server in 2024 and beyond.

It is not my intention to end GameMaker Server abruptly. I would like GameMaker Server to become less and less relevant as it ages, until some day when I can shut it down without anyone even noticing.

GameMaker Server only supports GM8, GM8.1 and GM:Studio 1, which already means it is not a good choice for new projects. To further discourage new projects, you will no longer be able to register new games starting January 1st, 2024.

It is my intention to keep the server online for at least another year, until the end of 2024.

I will be releasing most of GameMaker Server's source code. This will be under (A)GPL or MPL licenses, allowing you to freely use the code in your own projects, provided that you share any modifications you make to the code.

I do not intend to support the source code in any way. I do not have the necessary free time to start community projects around the code. And most of this code is bad code that you wouldn't want to use anyway. But: you are free to start your own projects around the code, should you so desire.

I am hesitant to release code that is still in use, as I don't want to make it easier for attackers to find new ways to DDoS the servers or circumvent other security measures. So it will likely be a while before you'll get the source code for the server itself.

Today I started by uploading the source code forhttps://status.gamemakerserver.com/ -- which is a stand-alone webpage showing you GameMaker Server's server status.

If you are interested, the source code can be found on GitHub:https://github.com/size43-gamemakerserver

Enjoy!

- Size43