diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 07049f373..d968f32d2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,21 @@
 name: Release LITIENGINE
 
 on:
-  workflow_dispatch
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      incrementVersion:
+        type: choice
+        description: "increment version?"
+        required: true
+        default: 'none'
+        options:
+          - none
+          - patch
+          - minor
+          - major
+  schedule:
+    # Midnight every day
+    - cron: "0 0 * * *"
 
 jobs:
   gradle:
@@ -13,36 +27,38 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
-          fetch-depth: 10
+          fetch-depth: 0
       - name: Set up JDK 19
         uses: actions/setup-java@v3
         with:
           distribution: temurin
           java-version: 19
-
-      - name: Prepare & publish release
+      - name: Print project version
+        uses: gradle/gradle-build-action@v2
+        with:
+          arguments: printGitSemVer
+      - name: Increment patch version
+        if: inputs.incrementVersion == 'patch'
+        uses: gradle/gradle-build-action@v2
+        with:
+          arguments: incrementPatchVersion
+      - name: Increment minor version
+        if: inputs.incrementVersion == 'minor'
+        uses: gradle/gradle-build-action@v2
+        with:
+          arguments: incrementMinorVersion
+      - name: Increment major version
+        if: inputs.incrementVersion == 'major'
+        uses: gradle/gradle-build-action@v2
+        with:
+          arguments: incrementMajorVersion
+      - name: Publish
         uses: gradle/gradle-build-action@v2
         env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-          GPG_SIGNING_KEY: ${{ secrets.GPG_SIGNING_KEY }}
-          GPG_PASSPHRASE: ${{ secrets.GPG_PASSPHRASE }}
-          NEXUS_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_USERNAME }}
-          NEXUS_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_PASSWORD }}
+          ORG_GRADLE_PROJECT_sonatypeUsername: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_USERNAME }}
+          ORG_GRADLE_PROJECT_sonatypePassword: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_PASSWORD }}
+          ORG_GRADLE_PROJECT_signingKey: ${{ secrets.PGP_SECRET }}
+          ORG_GRADLE_PROJECT_signingPassword: ${{ secrets.PGP_PASSPHRASE }}
         with:
           arguments: |
-            prepareVote
-            publishRelease
-            --info
-            -x test
-            -Prc=1
-            -Pgh
-            -Prelease=true
-            -PskipJavadoc
-            -PskipSpotless
-            -PghGitSourceUsername=gurkenlabs
-            -PghGitSourcePassword=$GITHUB_TOKEN
-            -PghNexusUsername=$NEXUS_USERNAME
-            -PghNexusPassword=$NEXUS_PASSWORD
-            -PuseInMemoryKey=true
-            -Psigning.inMemoryKey=$GPG_SIGNING_KEY
-            -Psigning.password=$GPG_PASSPHRASE
+            publishToSonatype closeSonatypeStagingRepository
diff --git a/.github/workflows/snapshot.yml b/.github/workflows/snapshot.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index ae25d1323..000000000
--- a/.github/workflows/snapshot.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,55 +0,0 @@
-name: Build nightly SNAPSHOT
-
-on:
-  workflow_dispatch:
-  schedule:
-    # Midnight every day
-    - cron: "0 0 * * *"
-  push:
-    # Rerun if workflow changes
-    branches:
-      - 'master'
-      - 'snapshot-test'
-    paths:
-      - '**/snapshot.yml'
-
-jobs:
-  gradle:
-    if: github.repository_owner == 'gurkenlabs'
-    name: Publish nightly snapshot
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    permissions:
-      contents: read
-      packages: read
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
-        with:
-          fetch-depth: 10
-      - name: Set up JDK 19
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v3
-        with:
-          distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 19
-      - name: Publish
-        uses: gradle/gradle-build-action@v2
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-          GPG_SIGNING_KEY: ${{ secrets.GPG_SIGNING_KEY }}
-          GPG_PASSPHRASE: ${{ secrets.GPG_PASSPHRASE }}
-          NEXUS_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_USERNAME }}
-          NEXUS_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_PASSWORD }}
-        with:
-          arguments: |
-            prepareVote
-            -Prc=1
-            -Pgh
-            -Prelease=false
-            -PskipJavadoc
-            -PskipSpotless
-            -PghGitSourceUsername=gurkenlabs
-            -PghGitSourcePassword=$GITHUB_TOKEN
-            -PghNexusUsername=$NEXUS_USERNAME
-            -PghNexusPassword=$NEXUS_PASSWORD
-            -PuseInMemoryKey=true
-            -Psigning.inMemoryKey=$GPG_SIGNING_KEY
-            -Psigning.password=$GPG_PASSPHRASE
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 55bd1f8a2..30f9576a9 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -1,14 +1,28 @@
 plugins {
+  id "java"
   alias libs.plugins.spotless
   alias libs.plugins.versions
   alias libs.plugins.dependencyCheck
   alias libs.plugins.grgit
   alias libs.plugins.semanticVersioning
-  id "java"
+  alias libs.plugins.nexusPublish
 }
 
+apply from: "$rootDir/gradle/licensing.gradle"
 apply from: "$rootDir/gradle/versioning.gradle"
 
 subprojects {
   project.version = rootProject.version
 }
+
+group = gurkenlabs_group
+
+nexusPublishing {
+  useStaging.set(!isSnapshotVersion())
+  repositories {
+    sonatype {
+      username = project.findProperty('sonatypeUsername') ?: project.findProperty('OSSRH_USERNAME') ?: ''
+      password = project.findProperty('sonatypePassword') ?: project.findProperty('OSSRH_PASSWORD') ?: ''
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/gradle/libs.versions.toml b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
index a9a7bde26..f5cae3021 100644
--- a/gradle/libs.versions.toml
+++ b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ junit = ["junit-api", "junit-params", "junit-engine"]
 
 [plugins]
 beryxRuntime = "org.beryx.runtime:1.13.0"
+nexusPublish = "io.github.gradle-nexus.publish-plugin:1.3.0"
 sonarQube = "org.sonarqube:4.0.0.2929"
 spotless = "com.diffplug.spotless:6.17.0"
 versions = "com.github.ben-manes.versions:0.46.0"
diff --git a/gradle/licensing.gradle b/gradle/licensing.gradle
index 9845b3326..5843e7050 100644
--- a/gradle/licensing.gradle
+++ b/gradle/licensing.gradle
@@ -1,25 +1,27 @@
+ext.LITIENGINE_artifact = "litiengine"
 ext.LITIENGINE_name = "LITIENGINE"
 ext.LITIENGINE_description = "The FOSS 2D Java game engine."
+ext.LITIENGINE_url = "https://litiengine.com/"
+ext.LITIENGINE_scm_url = "https://github.com/gurkenlabs/litiengine"
+ext.LITIENGINE_scm_con = "scm:https://github.com/gurkenlabs/litiengine.git"
+ext.LITIENGINE_scm_devCon = "scm:git@github.com:gurkenlabs/litiengine.git"
+
+ext.MIT_name = "MIT"
+ext.MIT_url = "https://mit-license.org/"
+
+ext.utiLITI_artifact = "utiliti"
 ext.utiLITI_name = "utiLITI"
 ext.utiLITI_description = "$utiLITI_name is the official project / asset manager and map editor for $LITIENGINE_name."
+
+ext.gurkenlabs_group = "de.gurkenlabs"
 ext.gurkenlabs_name = "gurkenlabs"
 ext.gurkenlabs_description = "Two Bavarian brothers, one goal: Create the purest, most comprehensible Java 2D game engine out there."
 ext.gurkenlabs_url = "https://gurkenlabs.de/"
 ext.copyright = "2014-${Calendar.getInstance().get(Calendar.YEAR)} $gurkenlabs_name"
 
-tasks.register("createLicenseProperties") {
-  dependsOn processResources
-  doLast {
-    new File("$buildDir/resources/main/licensing.properties").withWriter { w ->
-      Properties p = new Properties()
-      p['copyright'] = copyright.toString()
-      p['website'] = gurkenlabs_url
-      p['version'] = version
-      p.store w, null
-    }
-  }
-}
-classes {
-  dependsOn createLicenseProperties
-}
-
+ext.steffen_id = "sQn"
+ext.steffen_mail = "steffen@gurkenlabs.de"
+ext.steffen_name = "Steffen Wilke"
+ext.matthias_id = "nightm4re"
+ext.matthias_mail = "matthias@gurkenlabs.de"
+ext.matthias_name = "Matthias Wilke"
diff --git a/gradle/publishing.gradle b/gradle/publishing.gradle
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b52688db3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gradle/publishing.gradle
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+apply plugin: "maven-publish"
+apply plugin: "signing"
+
+java {
+  withSourcesJar()
+  withJavadocJar()
+}
+
+publishing {
+  publications {
+    mavenJava(MavenPublication) {
+      groupId = gurkenlabs_group
+      artifactId = LITIENGINE_artifact
+      version = project.version
+      from components.java
+      pom {
+        name.set(LITIENGINE_name)
+        description.set(LITIENGINE_description)
+        url.set(LITIENGINE_url)
+        licenses {
+          license {
+            name.set(MIT_name)
+            url.set(MIT_url)
+          }
+        }
+        developers {
+          developer {
+            id.set(steffen_id)
+            name.set(steffen_name)
+            email.set(steffen_mail)
+          }
+          developer {
+            id.set(matthias_id)
+            name.set(matthias_name)
+            email.set(matthias_mail)
+          }
+        }
+        scm {
+          connection.set(LITIENGINE_scm_con)
+          developerConnection.set(LITIENGINE_scm_devCon)
+          url.set(LITIENGINE_scm_url)
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+signing {
+  if (project.hasProperty("signingKey")) {
+    useInMemoryPgpKeys(findProperty("signingKey"), findProperty("signingPassword"))
+  } else {
+    useGpgCmd()
+  }
+  sign(publishing.publications.mavenJava)
+}
diff --git a/gradle/versioning.gradle b/gradle/versioning.gradle
index 9626411f6..97f804b7c 100644
--- a/gradle/versioning.gradle
+++ b/gradle/versioning.gradle
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ def getLatestTag() {
   getSortedGitTags().last().name
 }
 
-def isSnapshotVersion() {
+ext.isSnapshotVersion = { ->
   project.version.toString().contains("dev") || project.version.toString().contains("noTag")
 }
 
diff --git a/litiengine/build.gradle b/litiengine/build.gradle
index 883ff5aa4..958e3a766 100644
--- a/litiengine/build.gradle
+++ b/litiengine/build.gradle
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 plugins {
   id "java-library"
-  id "signing"
-  id "maven-publish"
   alias libs.plugins.sonarQube
 }
 
@@ -15,5 +13,6 @@ dependencies {
 }
 
 apply from: "$rootDir/gradle/encoding.gradle"
-apply from: "$rootDir/gradle/testing.gradle"
+apply from: "$rootDir/gradle/publishing.gradle"
 apply from: "$rootDir/gradle/sonarqube.gradle"
+apply from: "$rootDir/gradle/testing.gradle"
diff --git a/settings.gradle b/settings.gradle
index e2f45130b..75b199e84 100644
--- a/settings.gradle
+++ b/settings.gradle
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-
 pluginManagement {
   repositories {
     gradlePluginPortal()
diff --git a/utiliti/build.gradle b/utiliti/build.gradle
index 4d74ba45b..333d11063 100644
--- a/utiliti/build.gradle
+++ b/utiliti/build.gradle
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ plugins {
 }
 
 apply from: "$rootDir/gradle/encoding.gradle"
-apply from: "$rootDir/gradle/licensing.gradle"
 apply from: "$rootDir/gradle/testing.gradle"
 
 sourceSets {
@@ -65,3 +64,19 @@ runtime {
     }
   }
 }
+
+tasks.register("createLicenseProperties") {
+  dependsOn processResources
+  doLast {
+    new File("$buildDir/resources/main/licensing.properties").withWriter { w ->
+      Properties p = new Properties()
+      p['copyright'] = copyright.toString()
+      p['website'] = gurkenlabs_url
+      p['version'] = version
+      p.store w, null
+    }
+  }
+}
+classes {
+  dependsOn createLicenseProperties
+}