GameMaker Integrates Claude Code AI into CLI, Unveils GMRT

GameMaker has launched a new runtime (GMRT) and integrated Anthropic’s Claude Code into its command-line toolchain, enabling AI-assisted game development workflows through natural language prompts, announced on April 30, 2026. The new GM-CLI toolchain works with both the new and existing runtimes, allowing developers to work in their preferred environment without touching the IDE and facilitating what is commonly referred to as “vibe coding.” This makes GameMaker one of the first game engines with AI-assisted workflows built in.

Developer workspace with dual monitors showing code editor and dashboard, gaming setup with RGB keyboard and headphones in...

Claude Code Integration Enables Terminal-Based Development

Claude Code is being included in the new CLI so developers using the 2D game engine can handle routine tasks via natural language prompts in the terminal. With Claude Code in the CLI, developers can now query project structures, hunt down bugs, and manage build configurations through natural language prompts in the terminal.

According to an explainer on the Anthropic website, developers can “describe what you want to build, test, iterate, or ship,” and “Claude Code handles the rest.” By housing Claude Code directly inside the terminal environment, developers can work exactly how they prefer, without even touching the visual workspace if they choose.

The AI integration appears to be specific to the CLI tooling and not the GameMaker UI directly. GameMaker has ensured these tools are completely complementary and can be opted out of, with the integration relying on standard API access, standard scripting interfaces, automation through GitHub Actions, and an MCP Server. Because GameMaker isn’t running any embedded AI servers, user privacy is maintained, and users can continue developing games exactly as they always have, with it being entirely up to users how they choose to engage with the tools.

New Runtime Targets Professional Development Teams

GameMaker’s new runtime claims it can meet the demands of larger teams, broader language backgrounds, and studios that need more than what a closed integrated development environment (IDE) can offer. Russell Kay, Head of GameMaker, stated that “GameMaker has always been about making game development as accessible as possible,” and with GMRT, they’re “making sure that’s true for bigger teams, more complex projects, and developers who’ve never written a line of GML. The engine grows with you now.”

Project files are now plain text, easy to edit, and track properly in Git. Studios with automated build processes can plug GameMaker into existing systems and automate what previously required manual work.

Enhanced 3D Capabilities and Language Support

While 3D has always been present in GameMaker, GMRT takes it somewhere new, with developers now able to load 3D models directly from Blender via glTF, manage complex environments through a proper scene graph, and work with 3D mathematics. It is not a full 3D engine, but for studios building stylized or hybrid projects, it no longer feels like a workaround.

The release also brings a language roadmap, with JavaScript, TypeScript, and C# to be added before the year is out, along with source-available access across desktop, mobile, and web coming in Q2. Developers can start experimenting with GMRT on desktop today, with mobile and web expansions planned for the near future.

Growing Market Position Amid AI Adoption Debates

After making its software free for non-commercial use in 2023, GameMaker saw a 20% rise in games created and a 63% surge in young users between the ages of 13 and 17. Operating within a global game engine sector projected to reach $8.57 billion by 2031, GameMaker continues to hold a notable position in a market currently led by Unity at 40%.

By embracing Claude Code, GameMaker positions itself to compete heavily in the new era of AI-driven development alongside similar integrations in Unity and Unreal Engine. The integration comes as GameMaker acknowledges the skepticism toward generative AI highlighted in recent State of the Industry surveys.

Key Facts

GameMaker announced the new GMRT runtime and Claude Code integration on April 30, 2026
Developers can query project structures, hunt down bugs, and manage build configurations through natural language prompts in the terminal
JavaScript, TypeScript, and C# support will be added before the end of 2026
GameMaker has been downloaded more than 12 million times
GMRT is available on desktop today, with mobile and web expansions planned for the near future
The AI tools are completely optional and can be opted out of, with no embedded AI servers running