Defold vs Platinum Arts Sandbox
Defold
defold.comPlatinum Arts Sandbox
sandboxgamemaker.comSide by side
| Figure | Defold | Platinum Arts Sandbox |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Game Engine Software | 8.9 (#8) | 8.0 (#60) |
| Audience | Defold describes itself as suitable for indie creators, students, and studios shipping commercial games. | The project aims to be accessible to children and adults, and the maker says it is used in schools. |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Maker | The Defold Foundation owns the Defold brand and product, and Refold AB is contracted for most day-to-day product work. | Platinum Arts LLC says it was founded in 2007; its about page identifies Mike as CEO and describes him as project leader for Sandbox. |
| Multiplayer tools | Yes | Yes |
| Scripting languages | Lua,Teal,C,C++,C#,Objective-C,Java,JavaScript | C++,CubeScript |
| Source code model | source_available | open_source |
| Support | Defold offers community help through its forum and says technical support contracts are available if needed. | The download page invites users with installation trouble to contact the maker, and the site links to Discord, video tutorials and a help wiki. |
| Target platforms | Windows,macOS,Linux,iOS,Android,HTML5,PlayStation 4,PlayStation 5,Nintendo Switch | Windows,Linux,macOS |
Plans
In their own words
Defold
Defold is a game engine for building cross-platform 2D and 3D games. Its toolchain combines an editor, runtime, scripting workflow, build pipeline, and deployment flow. Game logic is written in Lua; native extensions can use C, C++, Objective-C, Java, or JavaScript. Visual editors, a debugger, profiler, particle effects, animation, and integrated 2D and 3D physics are included. Target platforms listed are Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, HTML5, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch. Integrations include Firebase Analytics, AdMob, in-app purchases, push notifications, Google Play services, Nakama, and PlayFab. The Asset Portal offers reusable components and extensions. Live Update can provide additional game content after the initial download, with customizable content verification. Source code for the engine, editor, and build tools is available on GitHub under a developer-friendly license derived from Apache 2.0. Defold costs nothing, with no licensing fees, royalties, or runtime fees. Community help is available through a forum, and technical support contracts are available if needed.
Platinum Arts Sandbox
Platinum Arts Sandbox has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.