Unity issues a formal apology and pledges to revise its contentious game installation fee policy, acknowledging the uproar within the developer community. “We have taken note of your concerns and sincerely apologize for the confusion and distress caused.”
Last week, Unity blindsided developers with the introduction of a runtime fee for its game engine, which would be incurred each time a game was installed. This move was characterized by one developer as a “disastrously catastrophic decision.” However, Unity is now signaling a change of course, vowing to reevaluate and alter this policy in the near future.
“We have taken note of your concerns and sincerely apologize for the confusion and distress that our announcement regarding the runtime fee policy, made last Tuesday, has generated,” expressed the company in a statement posted on X.
“We are actively listening and engaging with our team members, community, customers, and partners, and we are committed to making revisions to this policy. We will provide an update within a few days. We deeply appreciate your candid and constructive feedback.”
The news of this fee structure triggered a wave of anger within the developer community, resulting in widespread criticism of Unity. Meta Crit, the developer of Slay the Spire, exclaimed, “We have never felt compelled to make a public statement before.
That’s how badly you’ve blundered.” Rami Ismail added, “There is no conceivable way that Unity consulted with a single developer before implementing this.” As an act of protest, many developers ceased displaying Unity ads, and some even contemplated pursuing a class action lawsuit.
Unity’s announcement comes in the wake of a challenging period for the company, marked by the adverse impact of Apple’s privacy changes on its advertising revenue. Last year, Unity’s stock price experienced a sharp decline, leading to layoffs affecting 8 percent of its workforce, or approximately 600 employees.
Additionally, the company faced controversy surrounding CEO John Riccitiello’s remarks about game developers who disregarded monetization.
In response to the initial uproar, Unity attempted to clarify its policies, assuring that the fee would only apply to initial installations, with exemptions for charitable organizations and non-counting of demos. The burden of the fee would fall on subscription service owners, rather than individual developers.
Nevertheless, some developers who had committed to Unity under its previous pricing structure still found themselves significantly affected. Tomas Sala, developer of The Falconer, expressed frustration, saying, “I invested years into my pipeline, operating under a straightforward per-seat license that I was happy to pay.
Now, as I approach release, they spring something entirely new on me. It’s not a price hike, but a fundamental shift in our business relationship. I have no alternatives; I can’t revert; I can only adapt and comply.”
The extent to which Unity’s proposed changes will mollify developers remains uncertain. One developer responded to the company’s statement, urging, “Just be honest, transparent, and dependable. We need stability.”
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Unity has temporarily closed its offices in San Francisco and Austin, Texas