The video game development community is up in arms as Unity, a popular engine for creating games, has announced significant changes to its pricing model. On January 1st, 2024, the company will introduce a pay-per-download scheme that charges developers a flat fee each time their game is installed, regardless of whether it's attached to a sale or not.
The new Unity Runtime Fee is based on each download by an end-user, with a specific revenue and download threshold required before fees apply. This threshold varies depending on the subscription tier developers pay for, as well as the market in which their game is purchased. The fees are further broken down into different tiers, with "standard" markets like the US and UK assessed at a higher rate than "emerging" markets like India or China.
The changes have been met with widespread concern and frustration from the development community, particularly among solo, indie, marginalized, and mobile developers. Many feel that these changes will disproportionately affect smaller studios and individuals who may not have the resources to adapt to this new pricing model.
One of the key issues is that Unity's fees are based on the number of installs a game has, without accounting for reasons why a game might have multiple installs without corresponding sales. This could include pirated games, demos, or games downloaded across multiple devices. Additionally, there's concern that malicious actors could use this information to run up charges by continuously downloading and redownloading games as a form of protest.
To mitigate these concerns, Unity has announced the implementation of fraud detection tools and will allow developers to report potential cases of abuse. Charity bundles are exempt from these fees, but it remains unclear whether subscription services or demos will also be exempt.
In an effort to clarify some of the key points, Unity executive Marc Whitten explained that the company will only charge for a game's initial installation, with an extra fee charged if a user installs a game on a second device. He also clarified that developers like Aggro Crab will not be charged for Game Pass and other subscription services, as the fees are charged to distributors.
Despite these clarifications, many developers remain concerned about the impact of Unity's new pricing model on their businesses. As one director at indie developer Necrosoft Games noted, "We did not plan for this, and it screws us massively... You can't simply remake an entire game in another engine when you've been working on it for 4+ years."
The changes also come as Unity is removing its cheaper subscription tiers and pushing developers into more expensive ones. The company has retired its Unity Plus subscription tier, with existing subscribers receiving an offer to upgrade to Unity Pro at the current price.
As the video game development community continues to grapple with these changes, one thing is clear: AI in mobile apps will play a crucial role in shaping the future of gaming.