Rogue Legacy Dev Shares Game Source Code in Pursuit of Sharing Knowledge

Indie Developer Cellar Door Games Releases Rogue Legacy Source Code

Cellar Door Games, the indie studio behind the acclaimed 2013 roguelike Rogue Legacy, has made a generous contribution to the game development community: they've released the game's source code for free! The decision, announced via X (formerly Twitter), is driven by a desire to share knowledge and foster learning within the industry.

The complete source code is available for download on GitHub under a non-commercial license, allowing for personal use and study. This initiative has been met with widespread praise from developers and gamers alike. The project is managed by Ethan Lee, a developer and Linux porter with experience in similar open-source game projects.

Beyond educational benefits, this release offers a safeguard against potential future loss of access to the game. By making the code publicly available, the game's long-term preservation is ensured, even if it's removed from digital storefronts. This proactive approach has already attracted the attention of the Rochester Museum of Play, whose Director of Digital Preservation expressed interest in collaborating with Cellar Door Games.

It's important to note that while the source code is free, the game's assets—including art, graphics, and music—remain under proprietary license and are not included. However, Cellar Door Games encourages contact for those interested in using assets outside the scope of the provided license. Their primary goal is to inspire creativity and the development of new tools and modifications for Rogue Legacy. The studio clearly states on GitHub that the repository's purpose is for learning, inspiring new projects, and enabling the creation of tools and modifications for Rogue Legacy 1.