Unity, the cross-platform game engine, recently announced a significant alteration to its fee structure, resulting in an uproar among indie developers worldwide. The company unveiled a new ‘Unity Runtime Fee’ that would impose charges on studios every time a game utilizing their engine is installed. With the implementation of this new pricing system on January 1, 2024, developers are expressing their anger and confusion over the lack of clarity surrounding these rules, which could potentially lead to their financial ruin. While this fee only applies to a specific group of developers who have exceeded a predetermined sales or download threshold, a revenue-sharing model would have been more favorable.
The newly introduced Unity Runtime Fee follows a tiered subscription system, imposing different costs depending on the subscription tier. Smaller creators relying on Unity Personal and Unity Plus models will be required to pay $0.20 per download once their game surpasses $200,000 in revenue and 200,000 installs within a year. This could amount to approximately $40,000 in annual payments to Unity. On the other hand, AAA developers utilizing the Unity Pro and Unity Enterprise accounts will face thresholds set at $1 million in revenue and 1 million lifetime installs before the Runtime Fee is imposed.
Unity justified their decision by highlighting the installation of the Unity Runtime alongside every game download. However, their claim that deleting and reinstalling a game on the same system would contribute to additional charges has since been withdrawn. The company clarifies that developers will only be charged for the initial installation. Nevertheless, if the same game is downloaded on different systems, developers will incur additional fees.
Unsurprisingly, developers have expressed their outrage at this fee structure, pointing out how these rules could potentially bankrupt them. They argue that someone could pirate a game, repeatedly download and delete it on different systems, resulting in an accumulation of charges for the studio. In response, Unity cited their ongoing “fraud detection practices” as a starting point to prevent studios from being charged for games they did not sell. However, the company acknowledges that they do not have a comprehensive answer at this time and are working to address this concern. Unity has promised to make a process available for users to submit their concerns to their fraud compliance team.
Furthermore, freemium games that generate revenue through in-game purchases will also be adversely affected by Unity’s new regulations. Developers of such games may find themselves obligated to pay more than they earned due to the large number of downloads within a year. However, if a game is downloaded through subscription plans like Xbox Game Pass, the fee will be charged to the distributor, such as Microsoft. Additionally, games distributed for charity or as demos are exempt from the charges. Unfortunately, Unity has not provided transparency regarding how they track installation numbers, aside from their claim of relying on their “proprietary data model.”
Developers’ Retaliation
In response to Unity’s fee structure, several developers have expressed their dissatisfaction with the company. For example, Massive Monster has threatened to remove their critically acclaimed roguelike game, Cult of the Lamb, from storefronts on January 1. This studio specializes in Unity and has multiple projects in the pipeline, which are now delayed as they explore alternative engines and workflows. Even Innersloth, the developers behind the popular game Among Us, have confirmed that removing the game from storefronts is being considered.
The Concern for the Future
Unity Engine has been the birthplace of countless popular titles, including Genshin Impact, Cuphead, Ori and the Blind Forest, Rust, and Hollow Knight, among others. Fans are worried about the potential consequences of these fee changes, especially regarding highly anticipated sequels. For instance, the sequel to Hollow Knight, Silksong, was already delayed earlier this year, and there is growing concern that it could face further delays if developer Team Cherry decides to rebuild it on a new engine. As of now, there is no official comment from the studio regarding this matter.
The recent changes in Unity’s fee structure have sparked discontentment among indie developers who rely on the engine for their games. The introduction of the Unity Runtime Fee, coupled with the lack of clarity and potential financial burdens, has caused frustration and anger within the developer community. Unity’s response so far leaves many questions unanswered, and developers fear the repercussions these changes may have on their livelihoods. As the controversy continues to unfold, it is clear that the relationship between Unity and indie developers has been strained, potentially leading to a shift in the game development landscape.
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