Controversy once again strikes the gaming world. The well-renowned cross-platform gaming engine Unity announced a price for all installs. A place where developers have long honed their skills in designing 2D, 3D, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR) applications for free. Now, Unity will charge a flat-rate fee to developers each time a user downloads their game.
For more insights into Unity’s decision process, read below.
Unity’s Disclosure
The Unity engine has two software applications- Unity Editor and Unity Runtime. From a player’s device, Unity Runtime allows them to make games (through Unity) at scale. At scale means developing and managing large and complex gaming projects.
The Unity engine company has announced that Unity Runtime now has a fee. Their reason is Unity Runtime downloads with a game. Therefore, if a game developer releases a product on the internet and users download it, the game developer will be charged by Unity for every install.
Ultimatum
Before getting into Unity pricing, the developers’ game must meet two conditions before applying the fee. A game must surpass the minimum revenue threshold in the last 12 months and the minimum lifetime install count. Taking one step back, members of Unity have different membership levels. The fees apply differently to each membership.
Personal and Unity Plus accounts must have attained 200,000 USD or more in the last 12 months and have acquired 200,000 lifetime game installs before the fee is applied.
Unity Pro and Unity Enterprise must reach 1,000,000 USD or more in the last 12 months and gain 1,000,000 lifetime game installs before applying the fee. Even though these two are bundled for criteria requirements, the flat-rate prices differ (referenced below).
Unity claims they will still offer Unity Personal to anyone despite revenue success, but once the game reaches the fee criteria, the developers will have to pay.
Garnished Wages
Starting January 1, 2024, Unity pricing goes like this. Unity Personal and Unity Plus, the standard rate is $0.20 per new install for up to 1,000,000 or more downloads.
The rate for Unity Pro decreases with the number of new installs, starting at $0.15 per (1-100,000) install, down to $0.02 per (1,000,000+)install.
Unity Enterprise starts at $0.125 per(1-100,000) new install and falters at $0.02 per (1,000,000+) install.
Unity claims the fee is not a perpetual royalty license as in a revenue share model but that developers pay the runtime fee only once for new installs after January 1, 2024. They also present that developers are not responsible for runtime costs on re-install, fraudulent installs, trials, partial play demos, automation install, web and streaming games, and charity-related installs.
Conclusion
The gaming community is abuzz with controversy over Unity’s new runtime fee for developers. While the fee only applies to certain games, it marks a significant departure from the previous model, where developers could use Unity for free. The price structure is also complex, with different rates depending on account type and number of installs. Despite Unity’s assurances that the fee is a one-time charge and some installs are exempt, many developers are worried about the impact on their finances.
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