When you're building a game solo or on a small team, there's rarely time to draw every sprite, record every sound, and design a font yourself. Plenty of free assets exist to fill the gaps - the catch is that "free to download" and "free to use however you want in your game" aren't always the same thing. This guide covers where to find free assets and how to check the license before you download.
License terms worth knowing first
- CC0 - effectively public domain. No attribution required, free to use commercially. The safest option by far.
- CC-BY - free to use, but attribution is required. Credit the creator somewhere in your game or its description.
- CC-BY-SA - requires attribution, plus any derivative work built with the asset must be released under the same license. This can be a poor fit for a commercial game, so read the terms closely.
- Non-commercial only - fine for personal projects or learning, but not for a game you sell or that carries ads. Note that a "free" game with ads is often still treated as commercial use under these licenses.
- Proprietary / paid license - assets bought from a store usually come with their own terms, like "usable in up to N projects" or "resale of the raw asset prohibited." Always read the license page before buying.
| License | Commercial use | Attribution | Must share derivatives |
|---|---|---|---|
| CC0 / public domain | Yes | Not required | No |
| CC-BY | Yes | Required | No |
| CC-BY-SA | Yes | Required | Under the same license |
| CC-BY-NC | No | Required | No |
| Paid store license | Per the terms | Usually not | Separate terms (no resale, etc.) |
Where to find graphics and pixel art
OpenGameArt.org is a well-known archive of 2D and 3D assets under a mix of licenses from CC0 to CC-BY-SA, with the license clearly labeled on every asset page. The asset section of itch.io has a large collection of pixel art tilesets, characters, and UI packs from independent creators, mixing free and paid items you can filter between. Kenney.nl steadily releases a huge volume of game assets - characters, tiles, UI, icons - all under CC0, making it especially friendly for beginners since no attribution is required even commercially.
If you need original pixel icons with zero licensing worries, PixelCraft Studio's own pixel image picks page offers 57 original 8-bit icons free to download with no attribution required.
Sound and music
Freesound.org is a community archive focused on sound effects, where licenses range from CC0 to CC-BY per upload, so check each one before downloading. For background music, browse the music section on itch.io or free OST packs shared within game dev communities. If you'd rather generate your own retro-style sound effects, web-based 8-bit SFX generator tools are widely used and require no audio editing skill.
Fonts
Fonts shape the whole feel of a game's UI, yet their licenses are easy to overlook. Google Fonts distributes almost everything under open licenses (commonly the SIL Open Font License), making it safe to embed in a commercial game. If you need a pixel font specifically, search results turn up plenty of free options, but pick only ones whose license page explicitly allows commercial use.
Licensing checklist
- 1. Read the actual license textDon't stop at a site's summary badge - read the underlying license terms at least once.
- 2. Check commercial-use eligibilityA free game with ads or in-app purchases is often classified as commercial use.
- 3. Check attribution requirementsIf credit is required, confirm what format it needs to be in and where it must appear.
- 4. Save the license at download timeLicenses can change later, so keep a screenshot of the terms as they were on the day you downloaded - it helps if a dispute ever comes up.
Once you've gathered your assets, resize anything that doesn't fit your target dimensions right in the browser with the image resize tool.
Frequently asked questions
Is a free game with only ads still commercial use?
Yes, usually. Even if the game itself is free, ad revenue, in-app purchases, or donation links often classify it as commercial use, so you can't use non-commercial-only assets. When in doubt, use CC0 assets.
Where do I put attribution for a CC-BY asset?
Usually in an in-game credits screen or the store page description, in the form "asset name - creator - license (link)". If the license page specifies a required format, follow that exactly.
Are AI-generated images copyright-free?
It varies by country and it's still unsettled. Training data and service terms can restrict commercial use, so for a commercial project always check the tool's terms of service and keep a record of your basis for using it.
Related guides: First launch checklist · Choosing a game engine · Tileset design basics