Audacity
Audio & music
A free, open-source audio editor for recording and cleaning up sound.
- Free
- Open source
- Good for beginners
Find the tools to make your first game.
A hand-picked guide to game engines, art and sound tools, free assets and tutorials. Every listing tells you what it costs and whether you can use it in a game you sell.
New to making games? Start here.
Three small steps. Each one links to a few safe choices, so you are never stuck comparing fifty tools.
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Level 1
Pick a game engine
The engine is the program your game runs in. Choose one free engine and stick with it for your first few small games.
- Godot EngineA free all-rounder for 2D and 3D
- ScratchIf you have never written code
- GameMakerFocused on 2D games
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Level 2
Get art and sound
You do not need to be an artist. Start with free asset packs, then make your own sprites and sound effects when you are ready.
- KenneyFree art packs, no credit needed
- PiskelDraw sprites in your browser
- BfxrMake retro sound effects
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Level 3
Plan, save and share
Keep a short task list, save versions of your project, and put the finished game online so friends can play it.
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GamedooraPlan tasks with your team
- GitHub DesktopSave every version safely
- itch.ioPublish and share a link
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Browse by what you need
Each category starts with a short explanation, so you know what you are looking at.
- Game engines The software that runs your game. 19
- Code & programming Editors, frameworks and libraries for writing game code. 14
- Planning & teamwork Plan tasks, track progress and work as a team. 9
- Art & graphics Draw, paint and model your game's art. 9
- 2D & pixel art Sprite editors, palettes and pixel tools. 9
- 3D models & textures Ready-made 3D models, materials and HDRIs. 12
- Audio & music Make or find music and sound effects. 11
- Game assets Ready-to-use art packs, icons, fonts and more. 13
- UI & UX Design menus, HUDs and screens players understand. 7
- Level design Build maps, levels and worlds. 3
- Story & game design Write stories, dialogue and design documents. 6
- Version control Save every version of your project and share it safely. 7
- Testing & feedback Find bugs and collect playtest feedback. 7
- Publishing Put your game where people can play it. 5
- Marketing & community Show off your game and grow a community. 8
- Learning Tutorials, courses, books and documentation. 14
- Game jams Find a jam, then make a game in a weekend. 9
Joining a game jam? Grab this loadout.
One free tool for each job, all quick to learn. Swap any slot for something you already know.
- Engine Godot Engine
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Planning
Gamedoora
- Version control GitHub
- Art Aseprite
- Assets Kenney
- Audio BeepBox
- Publishing itch.io
Other starter packs: My first game 3D game jam Browser game
Popular free picks
Tools and libraries that thousands of new game developers start with.
Blender
Art & graphics
A free, open-source suite for 3D modelling, animation and more.
- Free
- Open source
- Good for beginners
Gamedoora
Planning & teamwork
Free game-development production and collaboration platform.
- Free
- Good for beginners
GitHub
Version control
Store your project's code online, track changes and work as a team.
- Free + paid plans
- Good for beginners
Godot Engine
Game engines
A free, open-source engine for 2D and 3D games.
- Free
- Open source
- Good for beginners
Kenney
Game assets
Thousands of free, CC0 game assets for 2D, 3D, UI and audio.
- Free
- Good for beginners
Krita
Art & graphics
A free, open-source painting program for concept art and sprites.
- Free
- Open source
- Good for beginners
OpenGameArt
Game assets
A community library of free art, music and sound for games.
- Free resource
- Good for beginners
Missing something? This list is open source.
Anyone can suggest a tool, fix a wrong price or add a tutorial they loved. Every change is reviewed before it goes live.