Curious about game development? YoYo Games is offering free licenses for GameMaker: Studio, development software that caters to users who don't know the depths of programming. Until March 2, licenses for the Standard edition can also be upgraded to the Professional version for $35.

Never heard of GameMaker? Derek Yu used it to develop the punishing labyrinth of Spelunky, while Risk of Rain developer Hopoo Games used it to build giant pig-infested stages. Messhof also used GameMaker for its multiplayer stab-fest, Nidhogg.

If you're interested, download the Standard version and play around with it. If you decide it's not for you, the only thing it will really cost you is time.

http://www.joystiq.com/2014/02/22/ga...ition-discoun/