I had to do a bit of digging around and prodding to find all these answers so I figured I'd compile them all in one place for future question askers.
This information comes mostly from the website, forum and official blog and is current as of the original post/modified date.
If anyone has anything to add or corrections to make, post them and I'll try to keep this updated as a one-stop shop uber FAQ.
Q: What versions of Game Maker are there and what platforms do they support?
A: The currently available versions of GM are Game Maker 8 Win, Game Maker 7 Mac and GM: HTML5. GM8 Win and GM7 Mac export to their respective OS. GM: HTML5 exports to web and Windows executable.
Game Maker Studio is pending release "soon-ish" according to the developers. Current speculators expect there to be an announcement sometime between 5 - 10 March 2012.
GM9 is slated for future release and will unify the Windows & Mac versions and also possibly GMS into one product.
Q: What about old versions?
A: The old versions are no longer supported, and are no longer distributed.
Q: If I buy HTML5 do I get Game Maker Studio for free?
A: Yes, you get the base GM: Studio product for free which will export to Win, Mac & HTML5. You will have to purchase separate options/upgrades for Android, IOS & Symbian exporting. There may possibly be a bundle option as well.
Q: Will there be a limited license for publishing to multiple platforms with GM: Studio, i.e. the license is only good for publishing X amount of games?
A: No. Once you purchase an option such as Android or IOS publishing, it is unlimited.
Q: How much will Studio cost when released?
A: It is expected/rumored to cost a base price of $99 and $200 per export module, i.e. HTML5, Android & IOS respectively. People who have already purchased HTML5 will get GMS and the HTML5 module for free.
Q: How much will the additional platform publishing licenses cost?
A: That is not known at this time but it is expected to be reasonable, in line with most Game Maker pricing models.
Q: Can I make Android/IOS games with Game Maker 8?
A: No. There was a process in place in the past where the developers would work with a select few individuals to port their games to mobile platforms with a percentage of sales on the YoYo store but YoYo has stated they want to spend more time working on their own games.
Q: If I buy GM8 does it include HTML5?
A: No.
Q: If I buy HTML5 does it include GM8?
A: No.
Q: When GM9 is released if I own GM8 or GMS how much will it cost to upgrade?
A: Not sure.
Q: Are GM8 projects compatible with HTML5.
A: To a certain degree yes. Not all GM8 features are supported in HTML5 though.
You can find more official information here:
http://www.yoyogames.com/faqs
http://www.yoyogames.com/gamemaker
Edited by needsfoodbadly, 26 March 2012 - 05:11 PM.
