This video announces that Hazel, a game engine developed over seven years, will transition to a free-to-use model. Currently accessible via a $10/month Patreon subscription for full source code and development repository access, Hazel will initially offer free built binaries for anyone to use and create games with. Full source code access will remain a premium Patreon benefit, with the long-term goal of making the source code available on GitHub, possibly through yearly releases. The creator outlines a detailed roadmap of features required for this free release, including Renderer 2025, basic multiplayer support, Prefabs 2.0, a GPU particle system, Editor 2.0, Animation 2025, asset workflow refinements, and C# API finalization. The creator also plans to resume live streaming Hazel development on Twitch and discusses using Akiflow for time management.
Hazel Game Engine: The Road to a Free Release
0:00 Current Hazel Access: Hazel, a game engine in development for 7 years, is currently accessible via a $10/month Patreon subscription, granting access to the full development repository (git.hazelengine.com).
0:06 The Big Announcement: Hazel Going Free: The creator announces plans to make Hazel free to use in the future.
0:51 Funding Hazel Development: The Patreon subscription model funds development, has supported staff, and allows the creator to dedicate significant time to the project, differentiating it from passion-only projects or the business models of Unity, Unreal, and Godot.
Initial Free Version (3:45): Hazel will first be released with free-to-use built binaries. Users can make games with it, use C# scripting, and will not owe royalties.
Source Code Access (3:59): Full source code access will initially remain a premium feature for $10/month Patrons, allowing for deeper engine modification. This fee supports ongoing development.
Ultimate Goal (4:48): The long-term aim is to provide Hazel's source code on GitHub (source-available, similar to Unreal Engine), possibly through yearly releases, while still offering value to financial supporters.
5:07 Development Live Streams: The creator will resume live streaming Hazel development on Twitch (twitch.tv/thecherno) twice a week to maintain discipline and provide content.
5:51 Sponsor: Akiflow: The video is sponsored by Akiflow, a time management and productivity app the creator uses to manage tasks for Hazel and personal life. Akiflow features include an inbox for brain-dumping tasks, scheduling, project organization, and AI-powered sorting.
8:33 Hazel Release Roadmap: A detailed roadmap to Hazel's free release is available on Milanote (hazelengine.com/roadmap).
Renderer 2025 (10:42): A significant rendering system update (details in a previous video and upcoming streams).
Basic Multiplayer (11:55): Clean up and finalize the preliminary real-time multiplayer support (introduced for the Genesis 3D project). It provides tools for server-client communication (C# scripted) but requires users to design their specific multiplayer logic. The server can run on Linux.
Prefabs 2.0 (17:58): Address limitations and bugs in the current prefab system. A key improvement will be ensuring prefabs instantiated in the editor automatically update when the base prefab asset is modified.
GPU Particle System (19:55): Integrate an existing standalone Vulkan-based particle system into Hazel.
Editor 2.0 (9:42): Ongoing work by team member Emily, including an undo/redo system.
Animation 2025 (9:51): Jim from the team is responsible for this.
Asset Workflow Refinement (9:57): Improvements to asset handling.
C# API Finalization (10:05): Refining Hazel's C# scripting API for stability before the official release, involving the whole team.
10:52 Path to Release: Once all roadmap features are complete, the engine will go through a QA and polish phase before its official free release.
21:07 Future of Hazel & Community: The creator is excited for Hazel to become a usable product for more people, potentially leading to more content, game development by Studio Cherno, and community events like Hazel game jams.
21:45 Call to Support: Viewers interested in supporting Hazel's development and gaining current access can subscribe on Patreon (patreon.com/thecherno).