Hazel Game Engine to Go Free: A New Opportunity for Indie Game Developers

May 13, 2025 - The Hazel Game Engine, a 3D engine developed by Yan Chernikov (aka The Cherno), is set to become freely available in binary form, a move that could shake up the game development landscape. Announced in a YouTube video on May 12, 2025, and covered by GameFromScratch.com, this decision will make Hazel accessible to developers without the previous $10/month Patreon subscription requirement. As Hazel prepares to join the ranks of free game development tools, it offers indie developers, students, and hobbyists a new option in a competitive market. Here's what this means, how Hazel compares, and what other free and open-source engines are available.

What is the Hazel Game Engine?

Hazel is a 3D game engine written in C++ with C# scripting support, designed for flexibility, performance, and educational value. Launched in 2018 as part of The Cherno's popular YouTube series on game engine development, Hazel doubles as a practical tool and a learning resource. Yan Chernikov, a former EA developer and founder of Studio Cherno, leads its development with a small team of volunteer contributors. The engine supports game development, real-time applications, and experimental projects, with features like path tracing for offline rendering in development.

Hazel's unique strength lies in its educational transparency. The Cherno's YouTube channel, with over 600,000 subscribers, provides detailed tutorials on Hazel's architecture, making it an ideal choice for developers eager to learn engine design. Until now, access to Hazel required a $10/month Patreon pledge, limiting its audience to dedicated supporters. The upcoming free release aims to democratize access, positioning Hazel as a contender among other game engines.

The Big News: Free Binaries, Paid Source Code

The core announcement is that Hazel will soon be available as pre-built binaries at no cost, enabling developers to create and commercially release games and applications without financial barriers. This shift removes the Patreon subscription requirement, potentially attracting a wider audience, from indie studios to students exploring game development.

However, access to Hazel's source code will remain exclusive to Patreon supporters at the $10/month tier. This freemium model balances accessibility with sustainability, ensuring Studio Cherno can fund ongoing development. Source code access is critical for developers needing to customize the engine, debug issues, or optimize performance, making the Patreon tier valuable for advanced users.

The release timeline for the free binary version remains unspecified, tied to a development roadmap on hazelengine.com. The Cherno has indicated that the release depends on completing specific tasks, but no estimated date was provided. Developers interested in Hazel should monitor Studio Cherno's updates for progress.

Why This Matters

Hazel's free release could have significant implications for the game development community:

Empowering Indie Developers: By eliminating costs, Hazel becomes an attractive option for indie developers who can't afford Unity's subscriptions or Unreal Engine's royalties (5% on gross revenue above $1 million). The ability to release commercial products for free is a major advantage for small teams or solo developers.
Educational Impact: Hazel's integration with The Cherno's tutorials offers a unique learning experience. Developers can use the engine while studying its codebase (for Patreon supporters) or following along with free YouTube content, bridging theory and practice.
Market Positioning: Hazel enters a competitive field dominated by Unity, Unreal Engine, and open-source alternatives like Godot. Its binary-only free version may limit advanced customization compared to fully open-source engines, but its lightweight design and lack of royalties could appeal to developers working on smaller projects.
Community Potential: A free release could grow Hazel's user base, fostering a community of developers creating tutorials, assets, or plugins. Components like Hazel's Coral C# scripting engine are already open-source, suggesting opportunities for community contributions.

Challenges and Considerations

While the free release is exciting, Hazel faces several hurdles:

Binary-Only Limitations: Without source code, free users may struggle to debug issues, add custom features, or optimize performance, potentially limiting Hazel's appeal for complex projects. It's unclear how feature-complete the binary version will be compared to the paid version.
Development Pace: Hazel's development has been described as "rather slow" due to its educational focus and small team. Delays in the free release or an incomplete binary version could dampen enthusiasm.
Funding Sustainability: Studio Cherno relies on Patreon for funding. If the free version reduces supporter numbers, development resources could be strained, especially as support demands grow.
Competition: Hazel must compete with established engines offering robust features, large communities, and extensive documentation. Building a vibrant user base will be critical to its success.

What's Next for Hazel?

Studio Cherno has ambitious plans for Hazel beyond the free release. The Cherno plans to resume Twitch streaming to showcase development progress, offering transparency into the engine's evolution. The studio also aims to use Hazel for commercial game releases, demonstrating its reliability as a production tool. Hazel's versatility extends to art, education, and real-time applications, with ongoing work on advanced rendering techniques like path tracing.

To support these goals, Studio Cherno must deliver a polished binary version and foster a community to rival those of other engines. The open-source Coral scripting engine could serve as a foundation for community-driven development, but Hazel's long-term success hinges on consistent updates and user engagement.

Other Free and Open-Source Game Engines

Hazel joins a growing list of free and open-source game engines that cater to developers of all levels. Here are some notable alternatives, each with unique strengths:

Godot:
- Overview: A fully open-source 2D and 3D game engine with a permissive MIT license, Godot is highly customizable and free for all uses, including commercial projects.
- Features: Supports GDScript (Python-like), C#, and C++ scripting, with a node-based architecture and built-in editor. It's lightweight and versatile, ideal for indie games and mobile projects.
- Community: Large and active, with extensive documentation, tutorials, and a marketplace for assets.
- Comparison: Unlike Hazel's binary-only free version, Godot provides full source code access, making it more flexible for advanced users.
O3DE (Open 3D Engine):
- Overview: Backed by the Linux Foundation and originally based on Amazon's Lumberyard, O3DE is a free, open-source 3D engine under the Apache 2.0 license.
- Features: Offers high-fidelity graphics, a modular component system, and tools for large-scale projects, including simulations and AAA games.
- Community: Growing but smaller than Godot's, with contributions from companies like Amazon and Adobe.
- Comparison: O3DE targets high-end projects, contrasting with Hazel's focus on accessibility and education.
Stride:
- Overview: An open-source C# game engine under the MIT license, Stride (formerly Xenko) is designed for 2D and 3D games, with a focus on ease of use.
- Features: Includes a visual editor, physics, and rendering systems, with strong C# integration, similar to Hazel's scripting approach.
- Community: Smaller but active, with a focus on indie and VR projects.
- Comparison: Stride's full open-source model gives it an edge over Hazel's binary version for developers needing customization.
Defold:
- Overview: A lightweight, free 2D game engine with an open-source core under a custom license, owned by King (makers of Candy Crush).
- Features: Uses Lua scripting, a visual editor, and a focus on mobile and web games. It's optimized for performance and rapid prototyping.
- Community: Moderate, with strong support for mobile developers.
- Comparison: Defold's 2D focus contrasts with Hazel's 3D capabilities, but both emphasize accessibility.
Urho3D:
- Overview: An open-source 2D and 3D engine under the MIT license, Urho3D is lightweight and designed for cross-platform development.
- Features: Supports C++ and AngelScript, with a focus on performance for mobile and desktop games.
- Community: Smaller and less active, with limited documentation compared to Godot or O3DE.
- Comparison: Urho3D's niche focus on lightweight projects aligns with Hazel's goals but lacks its educational ecosystem.

These engines offer diverse options for developers, from Godot's all-purpose flexibility to O3DE's high-end capabilities. Hazel's free binary release positions it as a competitor, but its success will depend on delivering a user-friendly experience and building a community to match these established alternatives.

A New Chapter for Hazel

The Hazel Game Engine's upcoming free release is a significant step toward making game development more accessible. By offering a no-cost, commercially viable engine, Studio Cherno is inviting indie developers, students, and hobbyists to explore Hazel's potential. While the binary-only model and uncertain timeline present challenges, Hazel's educational roots, lightweight design, and passionate creator make it a compelling project.

Developers interested in Hazel should follow Studio Cherno's roadmap on hazelengine.com and monitor The Cherno's YouTube and Twitch channels for updates. As Hazel prepares to go free, it joins a vibrant ecosystem of open-source tools, each empowering creators to build innovative games and applications. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned developer, Hazel's free release could be the start of an exciting journey in game development.

For more details, watch The Cherno's announcement video on YouTube or visit hazelengine.com.