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MonoGame
Open-source C# framework — spiritual successor to XNA
open-source Solo-dev friendly
MonoGame is an open-source C# game framework that lets you build cross-platform games. Successor to Microsoft's XNA, it powers games like Celeste and Stardew Valley. Pure code framework — no editor, just clean C# APIs.
Highlights
- + Powers hit games (Celeste, Stardew Valley, Fez)
- + C# with full .NET ecosystem access
- + Cross-platform including consoles (with license)
- + No bloat — you control the architecture
Limitations
- − No visual editor — pure code workflow
- − Content pipeline setup can be finicky
- − Smaller community than Unity or Godot
Platforms
Windows macOS Linux Mobile