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gameDNA Store Docs

Licensing Guide

gameDNA plugins use a tiered licensing system designed to fit teams of all sizes. This guide explains our license types, activation process, and team management features.

License Types Comparison

FeatureIndieProUltimate
Price Range$49-99$199-299$499-999
Seats (Machines)15Unlimited
Revenue Cap$100k/yearNoneNone
Updates1 year1 yearLifetime
SupportCommunityPriority EmailPriority + Call
GitHub Source❌❌✅
Commercial Use✅✅✅

License Types Explained

Indie License

Perfect for:

  • Solo developers
  • Hobbyists and learners
  • Small indie projects under $100k revenue

Limitations:

  • Single machine activation
  • Cannot transfer between machines without support assistance
  • Must upgrade if revenue exceeds $100k/year

Pro License

Ideal for:

  • Small to medium studios (2-5 developers)
  • Commercial projects of any size
  • Teams needing flexible seat management

Features:

  • 5 machine activations
  • Self-service seat management via dashboard
  • Priority email support (24-48h response)
  • No revenue restrictions

Ultimate License

Best for:

  • Large studios and enterprises
  • Teams requiring source code access
  • Projects needing maximum flexibility

Features:

  • Unlimited machine activations
  • Full GitHub source code access
  • Priority support with optional video calls
  • Lifetime updates (no renewal needed)
  • Custom licensing agreements available

Activation Process

First-Time Activation

  1. Locate Your License Key

    After purchase, find your key in:

    Format: GDNA-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX

  2. Open Plugin Settings

    In Unreal Editor: Edit → Project Settings → Plugins → gameDNA [Plugin Name]

  3. Enter License Key

    Paste your key in the “License Key” field

  4. Click Activate

    The plugin will:

    • Verify the key with our servers
    • Register your machine ID
    • Enable full functionality

  5. Verify Activation

    Status should show:

    • ✅ License Active
    • Your license type (Indie/Pro/Ultimate)
    • Expiration date (if applicable)

Offline Activation

For air-gapped or restricted network environments:

  1. Generate Machine ID

    In plugin settings, click “Generate Offline Request”

  2. Submit Request

    Visit store.gamedna.studio/activate-offline and enter:

    • Your license key
    • The generated machine ID

  3. Receive Activation Code

    You’ll receive a 64-character activation code

  4. Enter Code

    Back in Unreal, paste the code in “Offline Activation Code” and click “Activate Offline”

Team Licenses (Pro & Ultimate)

Adding Team Members

Pro and Ultimate licenses support multiple seats:

  1. Go to Team Management

    Dashboard → Licenses → Manage Team

  2. Invite Members

    Enter team member email addresses. They’ll receive an invitation to:

    • Create a gameDNA account (if needed)
    • Link to your team license

  3. Members Activate

    Each team member uses the shared license key on their machine

Managing Seats

View and manage activations in your dashboard:

ActionHow To
View active seatsDashboard → Licenses → View Activations
Deactivate a seatClick “Deactivate” next to the machine
Transfer seatDeactivate old → Activate new machine

Organization Features (Ultimate)

Ultimate licenses include organization management:

  • Centralized billing - Single invoice for all licenses
  • Admin controls - Designate who can manage seats
  • Usage analytics - See activation patterns
  • Custom domains - Use your company email domain for auto-joining

Upgrading Your License

Indie → Pro Upgrade

If you need more seats or exceed the revenue cap:

  1. Go to Dashboard → Licenses
  2. Click “Upgrade” on your Indie license
  3. Pay the price difference
  4. Your license is immediately upgraded
  5. Add additional team members

Pricing: You pay the difference between your Indie purchase price and the Pro price.

Pro → Ultimate Upgrade

For source code access and unlimited seats:

  1. Go to Dashboard → Licenses
  2. Click “Upgrade to Ultimate”
  3. Pay the price difference
  4. Link your GitHub account
  5. Accept the repository invitation

Renewal

Indie and Pro licenses include 1 year of updates. After expiration:

  • Your current version continues to work
  • You won’t receive new updates
  • Renewal is optional at 50% of the original price

License Transfers

Transferring Between Machines

Indie License:

  1. Contact support@gamedna.studio
  2. Provide your license key and reason for transfer
  3. We’ll deactivate the old machine and allow reactivation

Pro/Ultimate License:

  1. Go to Dashboard → Licenses → Manage Activations
  2. Deactivate the old machine
  3. Activate on the new machine

Transferring Ownership

To transfer a license to another person/entity:

  1. Contact support with:
    • Current license key
    • New owner’s email
    • Reason for transfer
  2. New owner creates/has a gameDNA account
  3. We process the transfer (usually within 24 hours)

Programmatic License Validation

For custom launchers or protection systems, use our API:

Terminal window
curl -X POST https://store.gamedna.studio/api/licenses/validate \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "license_key": "GDNA-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX",
    "machine_id": "YOUR_MACHINE_ID",
    "product_slug": "online-subsystem-blueprintable"
  }'

Response:

{
  "valid": true,
  "license_type": "pro",
  "seats_used": 3,
  "seats_total": 5,
  "expires_at": "2027-01-22T00:00:00Z"
}

See the API Reference for full documentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use one license for multiple projects? A: Yes! A license covers all your projects. You’re limited by machines, not projects.

Q: What happens if I format my computer? A: The machine ID may change. Use your dashboard to deactivate the old entry, then reactivate.

Q: Do licenses work with Unreal’s launcher? A: Yes, our plugins work with standard Unreal installations from Epic Games Launcher.

Q: Can I use plugins on build machines/CI? A: Pro and Ultimate licenses allow build server activations. Contact support for CI/CD setup guidance.

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