Sites Giving Free Game Development Resources
( Graphics and audio )
1. Kenney: is based in the Netherlands and is producing some fantastic art for game
developers. There are some really cool free assets on this site which
have been made part of the public domain, meaning you can do anything
you want with them. The free game graphics can be browsed according to
their category so you can find your game art really quickly. Kenney also makes sounds and game sources available for free which could also
be pretty useful for some readers. On top of all that, it’s a really
beautifully designed site.
2. OpenGameArt : This website has to be first on anyone’s list of places to go in search of free game graphics. OpenGameArt is a large site offering all kinds of graphics and even has a selection of sounds for game devs to use. It can be browsed according to category and all of the art is clearly displayed. It has a huge selection of 2D and 3D elements and is also home to a very active forum. The site is constantly being updated with content from its users and is ranked so you can find the most popular graphics of the month or go in search of some lesser used assets.
3. UnTamed Wild: This site is a huge resource of free game graphics for anyone looking to make their own RPG. Untamed.wild-refuge.net is home to Sithjester’s RMXP resources, a collection of image assets that are free to download and use how you like. The highlight of this site is the giant collection of 2D game sprites that you can browse all on one page. Clicking on a character you like brings you to a webpage where you can download a .png of the character from all angles, perfect for making your own sprites!
4. Itch: This collection of image and sound assets is brought to you by Crateboy. The best part of this collection is the 8 bit city resource files. Crateboy advertises that there will be enough 16×16 tiles for you to build an entire city and there really are. This is some really great work and all Crateboy asks is that you credit him in your game. If you end up using these tiles a lot he also accepts a ‘pay what you like’ option. The use of colour tone in this artwork really makes it stand out from the crowd and could really help to define the look of your project.
5. Open Game Graphics: OpenGameGraphics gathers the best free to use game assets from all over the internet. All the featured assets can be used in private and commercial projects. Everything is categorized neatly and browsing as well as downloading is fast and easy. As a special note, their collection of full game assets is fantastic. Asset collections can pretty much be used to create a full game with. On top of all that, the site is continually being updated with fresh game asset awesomeness.
6. Game Art 2D: Gameart2d is home to some amazing image assets. This website is run by Zuhira Alfitra a.k.a pzUH. He’s an Indonesian game developer with a real eye for great game graphics. The majority of the assets on this site are for sale but there is a freebies section where you’ll find more images like those featured above. As well as these sprites, there is also a selection of tilesets, GUI assets and many more assorted images for you to choose from. They’re also completely free.
7. Wigdet Worx: If you need some sprites for your game, you should check out this website. Wigdetworx has made a great collection of static and animated sprites available for free in the SpriteLib project. While it’s not the biggest collection of sprites in this list, there is definitely something here for everyone. The pack includes a plethora of landscapes and characters that would look at home in any 2d game. All it takes is a click to download, so why not browse the assets yourself and get some free game graphics.
8. Glitch The Game: Some readers will know Glitch as the web-based, collaborative, massively multiplayer game. Having been shut down in 2012 after two years online, the game’s developers have decided to release the game’s artwork into the public domain. There are over 10,000 assets to download and they’re all amazing quality. If you already like the look of these graphics, you’re in luck as you can download the entire package with one click and peruse them for yourself offline.
9. Dumb Anex: is another site that has made some really cool artwork available to game developers. It’s all free to use as long as you credit them somewhere in your game. Dumb anex has a really rich collection of sprites and tilesets on this site and a lot of them can be downloaded quickly in .zip format. This site is run by Brent Anderson, who works professionally as a freelance game designer and developer. These free game graphics would be perfect for a mobile sidescroller or platformer.
10. Reiners Tiles Sets: This website is run by Reiner “Tiles” Prokein and is brimming with free assets for game developers. Reiner himself is a hobby game developer who has produced a number of games. When he started out developing he couldn’t find the graphics he wanted, so he started making them himself. Ever since then he’s been sharing them online and they’re all available to you to use for free. He’s got a great selection of 2D and 3D images as well as some brilliant tutorials.
11. Sharecg : is primarily a site for artists to upload and share their work. It’s really worth a look if you’re after 3D or 2D art or if you want to find an artist to work with on some new ideas. The art is licensed under different terms so it’s important to check and make sure it can be used freely before you incorporate it into your games. There’s some really great indie art showcased on this site and you can also find tutorials, audio and software to use. Share CG
12. Blog o Scoped: Now it’s time for something completely different. The next site on our list is actually a blog about Google and everything related to Google. So then why is it included on our list? It’s included because in 2006 blog contributor, Philip Lenssen, posted a collection of almost 700 game sprites that you can use under a Creative Commons License. The sprites are all character avatars from a game he was working on called ‘Last Guardian’. If you’re working on something that looks similar, then you definitely should check his stuff out.
13. Lost Garden : is a little bit different to most of the other sites featured in this article. It’s the blog of Daniel Cook, a game designer working for Spry Fox. Daniel dedicates a section of his blog to game art and likes to update it periodically with free game art for developers. This site is also home to some great essays on game design in general and it would definitely be worth a look, if not to gain the insight of an industry professional, then purely for interest’s sake. Lost Garden
14. Subtle Patterns: offers some of the most beautiful work out of all the websites listed in this article. This website is run by Atle Mo, who designs and curates patterns for the site. He has made all of these wonderful patterns available to use under a creative commons license, so all you have to do is provide him with some credit in exchange for using his patterns. There is a lot of content on this site and it’s all of a very high standard. These patterns would make great UI backgrounds or could even be used in your game levels. Subtle Patterns
15. Open Clip Art: The great thing about this website is that absolutely every piece of art that they share is completely free to use in every way. Openclipart.org is a great community dedicated to sharing free art to everyone that wants it. But let’s not forget the art itself. There’s some really great looking clipart on this site and a lot of it would definitely look at home in your next 2D game. Another great feature of this website is that you can make requests of the users and get tailor made clipart.
16. Craft Pix : is a game asset online store, which provides graphics for creating video games. You will find Free and Premium game assets, GUI (graphical user interface), Tilesets (sets of textures and sprites for game levels), Character Sprites (characters in different variations, i.e. running, jumping, etc.), and Game Backgrounds suited to every fancy on their site.Craft Pix