Softwr

3D & CAD · head to head

V-Ray vs GameMaker Studio 2

V-Ray logo

V-Ray

3D & CAD

Professional 3D rendering software

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GameMaker Studio 2 logo

GameMaker Studio 2

Game Development

The fastest way to create games. For everyone.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only GameMaker Studio 2 has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: V-Ray licences are subscription only with no perpetual option listed for any product; GameMaker Studio 2 the free tier is a non-commercial licence; selling a game requires the Professional licence at $99.99
  • They diverge on capability: V-Ray covers Ray tracing, GameMaker Studio 2 covers Drag-and-drop interface.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which V-Ray and GameMaker Studio 2 actually diverge.

Attributes where V-Ray and GameMaker Studio 2 differ
AttributeV-RayGameMaker Studio 2
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, MacOS, LinuxWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Playstation, Xbox, Switch
Category3D & CADGame Development
Founded19971999

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in V-Ray

  • Ray tracing
  • Global illumination
  • GPU rendering
  • CPU rendering
  • Materials
  • Lighting
  • VR output
  • Scene intelligence

Only in GameMaker Studio 2

  • Drag-and-drop interface
  • GML programming language
  • Sprite editor
  • Animation frames
  • Sound editor
  • Room editor
  • Particle effects
  • Physics system

Both cover

  • Windows support
  • Linux support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

V-Ray

  • Photorealistic rendering for architecture and product visualisationnot GameMaker Studio 2
  • Real time and ray traced rendering inside CAD and 3D applicationsnot GameMaker Studio 2

GameMaker Studio 2

  • Building 2D games for desktop, web and mobilenot V-Ray
  • Indie game development with a drag and drop and GML scripting workflownot V-Ray
  • Publishing to consoles under an Enterprise subscriptionnot V-Ray

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

V-Ray

  • Licences are subscription only with no perpetual option listed for any product
  • Subscription terms renew automatically
  • Cloud rendering runs on separately purchased credits, with the Pro tier at $25.30 a month for 1,000
  • Enterprise pricing requires contacting sales

GameMaker Studio 2

  • The free tier is a non-commercial licence; selling a game requires the Professional licence at $99.99
  • Console exports are available only on the Enterprise subscription, which is billed at $79.49 per month
  • Source code access is limited to the Enterprise tier
  • Older Creator and Indie subscriptions are no longer renewed when the licence expires
  • Owners of a permanent GameMaker Studio 2 licence get no discount toward current licences

Pricing, plan by plan

V-Ray

$29/month
  • V-Ray Solo$60/month
    • 1 workstation
    • 5 render nodes
  • V-Ray Premium$80/month
    • Multiple apps
    • Cloud credits

GameMaker Studio 2

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Desktop game creation
    • Community support
    • Standard export options
  • Pro$99/year
    • All Free features
    • Advanced export modules
    • Mobile platforms

Which should you pick?

Choose V-Ray if

  • You need ray tracing.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want global illumination.
V-Ray review

Choose GameMaker Studio 2 if

  • You need drag-and-drop interface.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Playstation, Xbox, Switch.
  • You also want gml programming language.
GameMaker Studio 2 review

Questions people ask

Is V-Ray or GameMaker Studio 2 better?
Neither clearly leads. V-Ray starts at $29/month and GameMaker Studio 2 at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, V-Ray or GameMaker Studio 2?
GameMaker Studio 2 has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for V-Ray and Free for GameMaker Studio 2.
Does V-Ray or GameMaker Studio 2 run on more platforms?
V-Ray runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux. GameMaker Studio 2 runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Playstation, Xbox, Switch.
Can I use GameMaker Studio 2 for free?
Yes. GameMaker Studio 2 has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. V-Ray starts at $29/month.
What is V-Ray best used for?
V-Ray is most often used for photorealistic rendering for architecture and product visualisation, real time and ray traced rendering inside cad and 3d applications. Of those, photorealistic rendering for architecture and product visualisation and real time and ray traced rendering inside cad and 3d applications are not what GameMaker Studio 2 is typically brought in for.
What can V-Ray do that GameMaker Studio 2 cannot?
V-Ray covers Ray tracing, Global illumination, GPU rendering, CPU rendering. GameMaker Studio 2 covers Drag-and-drop interface, GML programming language, Sprite editor, Animation frames. Both handle Windows support, Linux support.
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