Game engine
RPG Maker MZ
RPG Maker MZ is an editor for 2D role-playing games. Maps, events, and battles are already there. You change them instead of building an engine.
Developer: Gotcha Gotcha Games
Overview
The project is a game from the first save. Database entries hold characters, items, and enemies. Event commands handle dialogue and switches.
Plugins extend the runtime in JavaScript. That is the path when the default battle system or menu is wrong for the game.
Technical specifications
Specs checked 2026-10-05. Version lines move; the download link is the source of truth.
- Developer
- Gotcha Gotcha Games
- Version line
- Current release
- License
- Proprietary
- Business model
- You buy RPG Maker MZ. Games you make can be sold. The editor is not an open-source download.
- Releases
- Updates ship through the RPG Maker Web account. Check the product page for the build you own.
- Editor platforms
- Windows, macOS
- Export targets
- Windows, macOS, Web, Android, iOS
- Languages
- JavaScript
- 2D / 3D
- 2D
- VR
- No.
- AR
- No.
- Visual scripting
- Yes. Event commands cover dialogue, maps, and battles. Plugins are JavaScript.
- Beginners
- Yes, if the game is a tile RPG. Other genres fight the template.
- Learning curve
- Low for a standard RPG. JavaScript starts when the built-in events run out.
- Graphics
- 2D tiles, characters, and pictures. Resolution and style follow the assets you import.
- Team size
- One person or a small team sharing a project file.
- GitHub stars
- Not published as a public star count
- Documentation
- https://www.rpgmakerweb.com/products/rpg-maker-mz
- Community
- https://forums.rpgmakerweb.com
- Assets and examples
- https://www.rpgmakerweb.com
Where it fits
- A complete RPG structure on day one.
- Artists and writers can work in the editor without a custom toolchain.
- Export covers desktop, web, and mobile from the same project.
Where it does not
- The editor is a paid product.
- Action games, 3D, and unusual cameras are outside the template.
- Players can recognize the default RPG Maker presentation if you never replace it.
Matching source
No sample projects are listed for this engine yet.
How does it compare?
Open 2D editor when the game is not an RPG.
When you need a general 2D or 3D engine instead of an RPG template.
Questions
Is RPG Maker MZ free?
No. You buy the editor. Games you create can be commercial, under the license that ships with your copy.
What language do plugins use?
JavaScript.
Can it make a platformer?
Not as a fit. The tools assume a tile RPG. A platformer means fighting that design.