You can build a playable game using free software and free assets — no purchase required
Making a game costs nothing if you use the right tools. Unity, Godot, and Unreal Engine are professional game engines that let you build and publish games at no cost. You add free art, sound, and code from community libraries, and you keep all the money if your game sells. The trade-off is time: you'll spend weeks or months learning the engine and building even a simple game.
The path depends on what kind of game you want to make. A 2D puzzle game takes weeks. A 3D action game takes months or years. Your first game should be small — something you can finish in a few weeks — because most people who start game development never finish anything.
Key Takeaways
- Unity and Godot are free engines used by professional studios, and you pay nothing unless your game makes money.
- Free asset sites like itch.io, OpenGameArt, and Freesound provide art and sound you can use without paying creators.
- Your first game should be small enough to finish in weeks, not months, so you actually complete something.
- Learning the engine takes longer than building the game itself, so budget time for tutorials before you start your project.
- You can publish directly to itch.io or Steam with no upfront cost, though Steam charges a one-time $100 fee per game.
Choosing an engine that costs nothing
Unity is the most common choice. It runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux. You download it free, build your game, and publish it free. If your game makes more than $1 million in revenue in a year, you owe Unity a percentage — but that threshold is high enough that most indie developers never hit it. Unity works for 2D games, 3D games, mobile games, and console games.
Godot is smaller and simpler than Unity. It's built specifically for indie developers and has no revenue threshold — you keep everything you make. Godot is best for 2D games and smaller 3D projects. The community is smaller than Unity's, so fewer tutorials exist, but the ones that do exist are usually very clear.
Unreal Engine is the most powerful but also the steepest learning curve. It's free to use and publish, and you pay 5% of revenue only if your game makes money. Unreal is overkill for your first game unless you specifically want to learn it for a job.
Start with Unity or Godot. Both have free versions that work exactly like the paid versions — there's no "lite" limitation. Pick based on what tutorials you find most helpful when you search YouTube.
Finding free art, sound, and code
itch.io hosts thousands of free game assets — art packs, sound effects, music, and even complete code libraries. Search "free game assets" on itch.io and filter by license. Most creators mark their work as free to use in commercial games, which means you can sell your game and keep the money.
OpenGameArt.org is a dedicated site for free game art. Everything there is licensed for use in games you sell. The art quality varies widely, but you can find usable sprites, backgrounds, and 3D models without paying.
Freesound.org has free sound effects and music loops. Check the license on each file — some require you to credit the creator, and some don't. Read the license before you use it in your game.
GitHub hosts free code libraries and game frameworks. If you know how to code, you can find physics engines, input handlers, and UI systems already built. If you don't code, you can learn by reading other people's code and modifying it.
When you use someone else's asset, check the license. Most free assets require you to credit the creator in your game's credits or readme file. A few require nothing. Never assume — read the license file that comes with the asset.
Learning the engine before you start
Spend your first week watching tutorials, not building. Pick one engine, find a beginner tutorial series on YouTube, and follow along. Make the example projects the tutorial shows you. Don't skip ahead to your own game idea yet.
Good tutorial series include the official Unity Learn tutorials (free on Unity's website), Brackeys on YouTube for Unity, and the official Godot documentation for Godot. Watch at normal speed and pause to type out code yourself — don't just watch passively.
After one week of tutorials, you'll know enough to start a small project. You won't know everything, and that's fine. You'll learn the rest by building and getting stuck and searching for answers.
Building your first game small
Your first game should take four to eight weeks to finish. That means: a single level, simple graphics, basic sound, and one core mechanic. Examples: a 2D platformer with three rooms, a puzzle game with 20 levels, a top-down shooter with one enemy type.
Do not start with your dream game. Do not start with a massive open world or a complex story. You will get stuck, lose motivation, and quit. Everyone does this on their first game. Start small, finish it, and then make something bigger.
Write down your game idea in one sentence. "A puzzle game where you move blocks to reach the exit." That's your scope. Anything else gets cut. If you finish early, add more levels. Don't add new mechanics.
Publishing your game for free or for money
itch.io is the easiest place to publish. Create an account, upload your game files, set a price (or free), and it's live in minutes. You keep 100% of sales after itch.io's optional payment processing fee. Most indie developers publish here first because there's no barrier to entry.
Steam is bigger but requires a $100 one-time fee per game. You upload your game, write a store page, and Steam handles sales and payments. Steam takes 30% of revenue. The fee keeps out spam, so games on Steam are taken more seriously, but you need to be confident your game will sell enough to cover the $100.
Your own website is an option if you want full control. You host the game files yourself and use a payment processor like Gumroad or Stripe to handle sales. This requires more technical setup and you handle customer support yourself.
Most first games don't make money. That's normal. Publish on itch.io free, share it with friends, and use it as a portfolio piece. Your second game is more likely to sell because you'll be faster and better at making it.
Avoiding common mistakes that waste time
Don't spend weeks on art before you have a working game. Build a playable version first with placeholder graphics — colored squares and circles. Then add real art. This keeps you motivated because you have something to play.
Don't try to code everything yourself if you're new to programming. Use the engine's built-in tools and free libraries. Unity and Godot both have visual scripting options that let you build logic without typing code.
Don't add features mid-project. You'll never finish. Write down every idea that pops into your head, mark it "for game 2," and keep building game 1.
Don't compare your first game to published games made by teams of people over years. Compare it to other first games. Your game will be rough. That's fine. It's done, and that's what matters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to know how to code to make a game?
No. Both Unity and Godot have visual scripting systems where you drag blocks together instead of typing code. You can make a complete game this way. Learning to code makes more complex games easier, but it's not required to start.
Can I really keep all the money if my game sells?
On itch.io, yes — you set the price and keep everything after itch.io's optional payment fee. On Steam, Valve takes 30% and you keep 70%. If you use free assets, you may owe credit to the creators, but you don't owe them money unless their license says you do.
How long does it actually take to make a game?
A small game takes four to twelve weeks if you work on it several hours a week. A medium game takes three to six months. A large game takes a year or more. Your first game will take longer than you think because you're learning the engine at the same time.
What if I get stuck and can't figure something out?
Search the engine's documentation and YouTube for your specific problem. The answer usually exists. Join the engine's community Discord or forum and ask — game developers are generally helpful to beginners. Take a break and come back to it the next day if you're frustrated.
Can I sell a game made with free assets?
Yes, as long as the asset's license allows it. Most free game assets on itch.io and OpenGameArt are licensed for commercial use. Always read the license file before you use an asset. If it says "free for commercial use," you're good. If it's unclear, don't use it.