If you are looking to start game development, the safest and most efficient path is to use the official free version:

While many users seek "cracked" versions of legacy software like GameMaker 8.1.38, using such downloads is generally unnecessary and unsafe. Modern alternatives from the official developer offer more features and better security for free. The Evolution of GameMaker

: Unauthorized download sites are frequent hosts for trojans, spyware, and ransomware disguised as software installers.

GameMaker 8.1 was a popular iteration of the engine released years ago. While it holds nostalgic value for some developers, it has been largely superseded by and the current unified GameMaker version.

: GameMaker 8.1 was designed for older versions of Windows and may not run reliably on Windows 10 or 11.