Rogue Legacy Developer Shares Source Code to Boost Game Dev Learning

Indie studio Cellar Door Games has released the source code for its 2013 roguelike hit, Rogue Legacy, making it freely available for download and personal use to foster knowledge-sharing in game development.

Cellar Door Games Opens Rogue Legacy Source Code to Public

Game Art and Music Remain Licensed, but Cellar Door Welcomes Inquiries

Cellar Door Games took to X to announce that the source code for its celebrated 2013 roguelike, Rogue Legacy, is now freely accessible online. “Over a decade after launching Rogue Legacy 1, we’re sharing its source code publicly to promote learning,” the studio posted, directing users to a GitHub repository hosting the code under a non-commercial-use license. This allows anyone to download and explore the game’s scripting for personal projects.

The GitHub repository is overseen by developer and Linux porter Ethan Lee, who has also contributed to source code releases for other indie titles, like Blendo Games’ Flotilla. The move has earned praise across social media, with fans and developers applauding Cellar Door Games for creating opportunities for aspiring game developers to study and grow.

Releasing the source code also supports game preservation, ensuring Rogue Legacy remains accessible even if digital storefronts remove it. The announcement caught the eye of Andrew Borman, Director of Digital Preservation at the Rochester Museum of Play, who expressed interest in partnering with the studio. “We’d love to collaborate on an official donation to the museum,” Borman told Cellar Door Games.

The Rogue Legacy 1 source code includes all localized text but excludes proprietary assets like icons, art, graphics, and music, which remain under license. “This repository is meant to inspire learning, spark new projects, and enable tools and mods for Rogue Legacy 1,” Cellar Door Games noted on GitHub. “For work beyond the license terms or involving assets not included here, please reach out to us.”