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GameMaker creates the game files; Steam and itch.io distribute them. The reliable workflow is to export a separate build for every target operating system, package Steam files in the format its pipeline expects, upload a portable GameMaker folder to itch.io, and validate the exact artifacts players will download. Steam adds formal onboarding, a $100 USD per-app fee, store and build review, and a manual release action. itch.io is more direct: create a project page, publish platform-specific channels, and use Butler to push each build. The sections below show the complete path from GameMaker export to updates on both stores.
What do you need before exporting?
Decide which operating systems you will support, whether the game needs Steam-only features, and which storefronts will carry each build. Treat Windows, macOS, and Linux as separate deliverables rather than assuming one archive works everywhere. GameMaker’s Steam setup guidance uses platform-specific launch options and depots, while its SDK documentation notes that requirements vary by target and build type.
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- Target list: write down Windows, macOS, Linux, or any combination you will publish.
- Store accounts: Steam requires a Steamworks account and onboarding; itch.io requires a project page and upload channel.
- Release materials: prepare the store description, capsule or page artwork, screenshots, age and content information, and support contact details before submitting a Steam store page for review.
- Integration decision: use the GameMaker Steamworks extension and matching SDK expectations only when the game actually needs Steam features. Keep a non-Steam build path when those integrations are optional or unavailable.
Do not make the storefront package your only copy of the build. Keep an archive of the original GameMaker export, the exact files uploaded to each channel, and the version number associated with each release.
How should you split a GameMaker game by platform?
Build Windows, macOS, and Linux separately, then publish each one to its own platform destination. A platform-specific build can contain a different executable, runtime files, permissions, launch command, and integration libraries.
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Windows
Use GameMaker’s Create Executable flow to generate the Windows install folder. For Steam’s documented Windows workflow, package the result as a ZIP rather than uploading an installer executable. For itch.io, keep the generated install folder intact and distribute that portable folder.
macOS
Export a macOS build separately and give it a macOS-specific launch option or itch.io channel. Check that the executable launches on the macOS versions you intend to support and that the files retain the permissions and bundle structure created by GameMaker.
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Maintain a Linux export and verify executable permissions before publishing. GameMaker’s manual distinguishes the ZIP format used for Steam from an AppImage used for non-Steam Linux distribution; choose the format for the destination instead of reusing a package blindly.
Steam features and non-Steam builds
Steamworks features may require the GameMaker Steamworks extension and a compatible SDK setup. If achievements, cloud saves, networking, or another integration is optional, compile a build that can run without it so the itch.io edition does not depend on Steam being installed.
How do you export a Steam-ready GameMaker build?
Export the game first, then shape the files for SteamPipe. The important distinction is that Steam receives a platform depot containing the game files, not a setup program that installs them for the player.
- Choose the target in GameMaker. Select the operating system you are building and confirm that the project’s graphics, input, resolution, save-path, and optional platform settings are appropriate for it.
- Run Create Executable. Let GameMaker generate the complete install folder, including the executable and required runtime data. Do not remove files merely because they look like support libraries.
- Make the Steam package. For the documented Windows Steam workflow, compress the generated files into a ZIP package. Do not substitute a Windows installer executable where GameMaker’s Steam guidance calls for ZIP.
- Repeat for every supported platform. Produce a separate macOS and Linux artifact when those platforms are part of the release. Each will later map to its own Steam depot and launch option.
- Record the build identity. Keep the version number, commit or project revision, export date, and the exact folder or ZIP used for upload. This makes it possible to reproduce a depot when a release needs to be rolled back.
The Windows compilation guidance from GameMaker was updated October 22, 2026. Its distinction between Steam ZIP packaging and other distribution formats is a packaging requirement, not a recommendation to give players a ZIP on every storefront.
How do you publish a GameMaker game on Steam?
Steam publication has four separate gates: Steamworks onboarding, app and depot configuration, build upload, and release approval. Completing an upload does not publish the game automatically.
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1. Register and complete Steamworks onboarding
Create the Steamworks partner account and complete Valve’s digital paperwork. Onboarding includes the app fee, bank and tax information, identity verification, store-page preparation, build upload, and review.
Valve’s current Steam Direct documentation lists a $100 USD fee for each new Steam app. The fee is not refundable, but Valve says it can be recouped after that product reaches $1,000 in adjusted gross revenue from Steam Store or in-app purchases. Those figures were checked October 29, 2026.
Valve’s Steam Direct program also describes a waiting period for first releases after the fee is paid and requires a publicly visible Coming Soon page before release. Indexed Valve pages have shown different wording for the exact timing, so use the waiting-period information displayed in your live Steamworks account rather than relying on an old calendar estimate.
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2. Create the app, launch options, and depots
- Create the app record in Steamworks.
- Create a depot for each platform you support, such as Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Configure a launch option for each operating system and associate it with the correct GameMaker executable.
- Use SteamPipe to upload the files belonging to each depot.
- Associate the uploaded depots with a build and assign that build to the appropriate branch or default configuration.
A depot is the container Steam uses for a platform’s application files. Keep platform files separated so a Windows player is not offered a macOS or Linux executable, and so updates contain only the files relevant to that platform.
3. Finish the store and build checklists
Valve separates the Store Presence checklist from the Game Build checklist. Submit the store page before submitting the build for review. Both the store presence and the build must be completed and approved before the product can be released.
4. Release manually
After approval, use Steamworks release controls to publish the app at the time you choose. Valve’s Steamworks release documentation states: “Approved titles will not release themselves — you need to use these controls yourself at the moment you wish your product to be released.” An approved build can therefore remain unreleased while you coordinate a launch date, announcement, or staged rollout.
How do you package and upload a GameMaker game to itch.io?
For itch.io, the portable GameMaker install folder is the normal Windows artifact. Butler is itch.io’s preferred upload tool because it can push a folder to a platform channel, validate the build and manifest, retry interrupted transfers, and send only changed data on later releases.
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1. Keep the portable install folder
After exporting from GameMaker, use the generated Windows install folder rather than wrapping it in a separate installer. itch.io specifically recommends pushing the install folder, and identifies folders generated by engines such as GameMaker as suitable Butler inputs.
Create separate macOS and Linux exports as well. Give each channel the artifact intended for that operating system, and confirm that launch permissions and platform-specific behavior survive the upload.
2. Install and authenticate Butler
Set up Butler with your itch.io account, then choose the local folder, account name, project name, and channel name. A representative command is:
butler push path/to/build user/game:windowsThe path, account, project, and channel in that example are placeholders; replace them with your own values. Use one channel per platform, such as windows, osx, and linux.
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When you publish a new Windows version, push it to the existing Windows channel rather than creating a new channel for every build. Butler records versions, validates manifests, and can upload only changed data after the first upload, allowing the itch.io app and patching system to identify updates efficiently.
4. Treat Steam synchronization as optional
Butler documents an experimental steam-sync workflow that maps Steam depots to itch.io channels. It can be useful when the same release is already organized in Steam depots, but it is not the default path and should not replace a normal, independently validated itch.io upload.
What should you test before publishing?
Validate the exact package and channel that players will receive, not only the project inside the GameMaker editor. There is no single universal test matrix, so adapt the checks to your supported operating systems, input devices, and integrations.
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- Clean launch: start the uploaded Steam package and itch.io channel build on a clean or representative system without relying on files left by the development environment.
- Executable mapping: confirm that each Steam launch option starts the intended GameMaker executable and that each itch.io channel opens the correct platform build.
- Runtime completeness: verify that required GameMaker runtime files, data files, dynamic libraries, and configuration files are present.
- Save behavior: create, close, and reload a save; check that the path is writable and appropriate for the operating system.
- Display and input: test the resolutions, fullscreen or windowed modes, keyboard and controller mappings, and any first-run settings exposed by the game.
- Optional integrations: test Steamworks calls only in the Steam build and confirm that the non-Steam build still starts when Steam is absent.
- Update path: install an earlier build, apply the new Steam or Butler update, and confirm that saves and settings survive.
- Artifact identity: compare the tested files with the ZIP, depot contents, or channel folder actually uploaded. A successful local test does not prove that the uploaded artifact contains the same files.
What is the practical difference between Steam and itch.io?
Steam is a gated storefront pipeline with formal review and release controls. itch.io is a direct publishing workflow centered on project pages, platform channels, and Butler uploads. Neither platform’s official documentation establishes a universal sales advantage, so choose based on required features, launch timing, and administrative overhead.
| Axis | Steam | itch.io |
|---|---|---|
| Entry requirements | Steamworks onboarding, digital paperwork, identity verification, bank and tax information, store preparation, review, and a $100 USD fee per new app | Create a project page and upload platform channels; the cited workflow does not describe a comparable per-app fee or review gate |
| GameMaker packaging | Platform-specific depots; GameMaker’s documented Windows workflow calls for a ZIP rather than an installer executable | Portable GameMaker install folder, preferably pushed with Butler |
| Release control | Store Presence and Game Build checklists, review, then a manual release action in Steamworks | Upload-oriented publishing through project channels; publish after the channel artifact is ready |
| Updates | Upload new files through SteamPipe, associate depots with a build, and assign the build to the intended branch | Push a new version to the same Butler channel; later uploads can contain only changed data |
| Platform integration | Steamworks features may require the GameMaker Steamworks extension and matching SDK expectations | Keep Steam-dependent features out of the itch.io build unless they have a separate implementation |
| Audience evidence | Official documentation explains publishing mechanics but does not establish a sales or conversion advantage | Official documentation explains publishing mechanics but does not establish a sales or conversion advantage |
Which publishing path should you use?
Use Steam when you need its storefront and platform services
Choose Steam when your launch depends on Steam’s store presence, Steamworks features, depot-based delivery, or a controlled review and release process. Plan for the fee, onboarding paperwork, waiting requirements for first releases, and the time needed to complete both checklists.
Use itch.io when you want direct distribution
Choose itch.io when you want to publish a portable build quickly, maintain your own platform channels, or distribute a version that does not depend on Steamworks. Butler makes repeat uploads and incremental updates straightforward.
Publish on both with separate artifacts
Publishing on both is practical when you can maintain two release pipelines. The underlying game project can be shared, but the deliverables should remain storefront-specific: Steam depots and ZIP packages on one side, portable Butler channels on the other. Keep version notes and test records for each channel so a Steam-only integration change does not accidentally ship in the itch.io build.
What commonly goes wrong, and how do you fix it?
Steam rejects or fails to launch an installer
Replace the installer upload with the ZIP package required by GameMaker’s documented Steam workflow, then configure the launch option to point at the compiled GameMaker executable inside the depot.
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Check depot targeting, launch-option conditions, and channel names. Re-export each platform separately and verify that Windows, macOS, and Linux files are not mixed in one destination.
The game works locally but not after upload
Compare the uploaded artifact with the tested folder. Missing runtime files, changed permissions, an incorrect working directory, or a path that exists only on the developer’s machine can all cause this difference.
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An itch.io update is larger than expected
Push the update to the same Butler channel and preserve the channel’s version history. Butler’s changed-data upload behavior depends on recognizable prior manifests; creating a new channel or replacing the folder structure can prevent efficient patching.
A Steam feature breaks the itch.io build
Separate Steamworks calls and dependencies from the non-Steam build, or provide a fallback path. Compile and test the itch.io artifact without Steam running before publishing it.
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- Every supported operating system has its own GameMaker export.
- The Steam Windows artifact is a ZIP package, not an installer executable.
- Steam app onboarding, fee payment, bank and tax details, identity verification, and store materials are complete.
- Steam depots, launch options, SteamPipe uploads, and build associations point to the correct files.
- The Steam Store Presence and Game Build checklists are approved, and the manual release action is scheduled.
- The itch.io project has one channel per platform.
- Butler has pushed the portable GameMaker folder to the intended channel.
- The exact uploaded artifacts launch, save, update, and handle display and input settings on representative systems.
- Version numbers, release notes, and archival copies identify every published build.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the $100 Steam Direct fee paid once for the whole account?
No. Valve describes it as a fee for each new Steam app. It is non-refundable, although Valve says the fee for a product can be recouped after that product reaches $1,000 in adjusted gross revenue from Steam Store or in-app purchases.
Can an itch.io build use Steam achievements or cloud saves?
Only if you provide an implementation that works outside Steam. Steamworks-dependent calls should be isolated from the itch.io build or guarded with a fallback so the game remains launchable when Steam is not present.
Do I need a separate GameMaker project for Steam and itch.io?
Usually not. One project can produce both editions, but you should export and validate separate artifacts, and conditionally include Steamworks integrations so the non-Steam edition has no missing dependencies.
When should I create the Steam Coming Soon page?
Create it during onboarding and before requesting release approval. Valve requires a publicly visible Coming Soon page for first releases, while the exact waiting-period wording can change; follow the timing shown in your current Steamworks account.
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