Unity, a popular game engine, has changed its business model to include a runtime fee, which charges developers per install of their games. The fee is scalable and targets larger developers, with a threshold of at least $1 million in revenue and 200,000 installs. The fee can be substantial, with an example given of a game that would owe $282,000 in a year. This change has caused significant backlash from developers, with some considering switching to alternative game engines like Godot. The runtime fee has also raised concerns about Unity's ability to track installs and detect fraud, with some developers expressing distrust in the company's methods.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Unity changed its business model to include a runtime fee.
2. The runtime fee is a charge per install of a game made with the Unity engine.
3. Unity tweeted about the change, citing the need to make money in a new way.
4. The Unity engine is used by many game developers, including those who make indie games.
5. The runtime fee is charged to developers who make more than $1 million with their game.
6. The fee is based on the number of installs, with a higher fee for more installs.
7. Unity's example on their website shows a game that made $2 million in revenue and had 5 million installs would owe $282,000 in fees.
8. The fee is higher than the competitor Unreal Engine's 5% license fee and revenue share system.
9. The fee applies to all future installs, including re-downloads and re-installs.
10. Unity claims to have a proprietary data model to track installs, but some developers are skeptical.
11. The fee does not apply to demos or pirated games.
12. Unity initially said they would charge for multiple installs, but later walked that back, saying they would only charge for one installation.
13. The fee has caused concern among game developers, with some considering switching to a different engine.
14. The decision to implement the fee has impacted the timelines for games currently in development.
15. Unity's goal is to make money by targeting big games with millions of downloads, rather than increasing subscription prices for all users.
16. The company made $20 cent per install for personal pricing.
17. The company changed their price on September 13th, 2022.