Making things is great. Whether you’re using a pen and paper or a computer, it’s a huge amount of fun to build something. And the more it can be opened up to a wider range of people, the better it is. Which is why it’s cool to see the news from YoYo Games with GameMaker Studio 2 to launch on Nintendo Switch later in 2018.
The 2D game development engine launched in March 2017, and GameMaker Studio products have been downloaded more than 10 million times since 2012. With around 200,000 people using it each month, the news that games will now be able to be exported directly to the Nintendo Switch means more opportunities and games will be available very soon.
“We’re thrilled to be entering into a relationship with Nintendo, with the opportunities this will bring to our game development community, and most importantly, the players themselves,” said James Cox, General Manager, YoYo Games. “Nintendo has been hugely supportive of bringing independent releases to the Nintendo Switch console, and this partnership will mean even more wonderful games are released on the platform. We’re working hard to ensure the Nintendo Switch version of GameMaker Studio 2 retains the already excellent functionality of the engine, and we are committed to supporting developers and studios who are keen to make the jump to Nintendo’s record-breaking console.”
Following the announcement of Undertale’s imminent arrival on Nintendo Switch, Toby Fox, creator of Undertale said, “I’m excited to use GameMaker Studio 2 to put Undertale on Nintendo Switch. I’m a big fan of Nintendo. I hope Mario plays my game.”
GameMaker Studio 2 already lets you create a project with a single code base and then publish to work natively across platforms including the PS4, Xbox One, Android, iOS, Windows, OS X, Ubuntu and more. The official launch date is set for Summer, 2018 with more details about the release and support games due out before then.
The Switch is the fastest-selling console in Nintendo’s history, with 14 million units sold in the first year. In January, Nintendo Labo was announced as a child-focused combination of games and cardboard DIY projects which can work together using the ‘Toy-Con’ cardboard units to interact.
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