This is the book I wish I had when I started making games, and now I want you to have it. It’s available in four formats:

I’m here to help! Game Programming Patterns is a collection of patterns I found in games that make code cleaner, easier to understand, and faster .

Frequently Asked Questions

Do the different versions have different content?

Nope! Each format has every chapter in full, every illustration, and all of the asides you know and love. Even the free web version.

Which version pays you the most?

First of all, thank you for caring about this! Since I self-published, I set the prices so that the royalties are about the same for each format. (I also get the lion’s share of the money since there’s no publisher taking a cut.)

Buy the format you want and I’ll get paid pretty much the same either way. If you want to give me money, but don’t actually want a physical book, consider giving it to a friend or your local library. I get money, you feel good, and someone gets a free book!

If I buy the print edition, can I get the eBook cheaper?

Yes, mostly. I have MatchBook enabled on the Kindle edition. If you buy the print copy, you can get the Kindle version for just $3.00. I don’t have a way to set up anything similar for the other eBook formats, unfortunately.

I am a poor student. How can I get your book cheaply?

I had you in mind when I decided to put the entire contents of the book on the web for free. I put more than five years of my life into this book, and I want as many people to have access to it as possible. The web version is also a great starting point to see if you like the book before you plunk down cash.

Do the digital editions use DRM?

Heck no! If you have been kind enough to pay for the book, I want to give you the most flexibility I can. You should be able to freely transfer it to all of your devices, archive it, etc.

I’m in Canada. How can I get the print edition?

CreateSpace does not directly ship to Canada which is why you don’t see it on amazon.ca. Instead, a kind reader tells me that you can get it from Book Depository. If that doesn’t work, you may be able to buy it from amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com and get it shipped from the US.