Roguelike Source Released for Educational Enrichment

Indie Developer Cellar Door Games Releases Rogue Legacy 1 Source Code

Game Assets Remain Proprietary, But Collaboration Is Encouraged

Cellar Door Games, the developer behind the acclaimed 2013 roguelike Rogue Legacy, has made a generous contribution to the gaming community by releasing the game's source code publicly and free of charge. Announced via Twitter (now X), the studio stated the decision was driven by a desire to share knowledge and foster learning within game development. The code is available on GitHub under a specialized, non-commercial license, allowing for personal use and study.

The GitHub repository is managed by Ethan Lee, a developer and Linux porter with experience in similar open-source game projects. The release has been met with widespread praise, offering a valuable learning resource for aspiring game developers.

Beyond educational benefits, this act of open-sourcing also serves as a form of digital preservation, ensuring the game's accessibility even if it were to be removed from online stores. This proactive approach to preservation has even caught the attention of Andrew Borman, Director of Digital Preservation at the Rochester Museum of Play, who expressed interest in collaborating with Cellar Door Games.

It's important to note that while the source code is freely available, the game's art, music, and other assets remain under a proprietary license. Cellar Door Games clarifies that the intention is to facilitate learning, inspire new projects, and enable the creation of modifications for Rogue Legacy 1. However, those wishing to distribute work beyond the scope of the license, or incorporating assets not included in the released code, are encouraged to contact the developers directly.