Unity Introduces Updated Pricing Model for Runtime Fee Policy

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Unity Makes Changes to Runtime Fee Policy

Unity, the popular game development platform, has announced changes to its brand new Runtime Fee policy just over a week after its initial announcement. The changes, outlined in an open letter published on the Unity Blog, address some of the concerns raised by developers and users.

Apology and Acknowledgement

In the open letter, Unity Create lead Marc Whitten starts off by apologizing for the lack of communication and not incorporating enough feedback from the community. He acknowledges the mistake made in the initial announcement and expresses regret for not consulting with the users before implementing the policy.

Revamped Model

The new model includes several significant changes that make the policy more acceptable to developers. Unity Personal subscribers will no longer be charged the fee, and the cap for the fee has been increased from $100,000 to $200,000. Additionally, games with less than $1 million in a 12-month revenue will not be subject to the fee. Furthermore, the fee will only apply to games made in the new version of Unity, which is set to launch in 2024.

No Retroactive Application

Whitten’s statement also clarifies that the fees will not be applied retroactively to games already on the market and made in Unity. This means that developers will not be charged for games that are already shipped or projects that are currently being worked on, unless they choose to upgrade them to the new version of Unity.

New Fee Structure

For games that will be subject to the fees, Unity has introduced a new fee structure. Instead of charging developers per install, they will now have the option to choose between a 2.5% revenue share or a “calculated amount” based on the number of new players per month. The numbers will be self-reported by the developers themselves.

Community Response

The response to the changes has been mixed. While some developers appreciate the revisions and see them as a positive step, others remain skeptical. Some developers have expressed concerns that Unity may make further changes in the future, while others have already decided to explore alternative game development platforms such as Godot.

Conclusion

Unity’s decision to make changes to its Runtime Fee policy shows that the company is responsive to feedback from its community. The new model, which exempts Unity Personal subscribers and increases the cap for the fee, is aimed at addressing the concerns raised by developers. However, only time will tell if these changes are enough to repair the damage caused by the initial announcement.