Last week, Unity announced a new pricing policy that would levy substantial fees on game developers based on their game's revenue and download numbers. The announcement sparked a massive reaction among game developers and became a hot topic on social media. Following the release of these pricing rules, there was even a significant surge in the user base of other game engines.
I graphed interest for game engine tutorials on Youtube after #Unity's new fees. The #Godot line is quite dramatic! pic.twitter.com/RFL6JOA4Kv
— Stein makes Dig Dig Boom (@SteinMakesGames) September 15, 2023
In the wake of resounding disapproval from game developers, Unity has retracted its newly announced pricing plan that imposed escalating fees on developers as their games crossed certain installation milestones. The initial decision was widely slammed, with developers openly labeling it as "an astonishing scumbag move."
Adding gravity to the situation, Unity received a "potential threat" substantial enough to prompt the closure of two offices and the cancellation of a CEO meeting.
In a new statement, Unity acknowledged the uproar it caused and promised amendments to the contentious policy. "We have heard you," the message starts. "We apologize for the confusion and angst we've caused and will be making changes to the policy. An update will be shared in the next few days."
Unity on Twitter/X
The fee changes were viewed as obstructive to bundling games or featuring them in subscription services like Game Pass, as these new costs would inevitably trickle down to developers. The policy would have also retroactively applied to already released games, provided they remained in circulation after January 1, 2024.
Developers, however, are not ready to let Unity off the hook. Trent Kusters of Jumplight Odyssey studio League of Geeks noted, "There wasn't any 'confusion.' In fact, the exact opposite is the concerning issue here. We all understood the anti-developer impact of your new pricing far better than you did before you decided to introduce it."
Source: Twitter/X