In September 2023, Unity introduced a controversial Runtime Fee that sent shockwaves through the game development community. The fee, designed to charge developers per game install, sparked widespread backlash. Indie developers, in particular, feared that the fee structure could cripple their businesses. Even established studios spoke out, and the uproar led to a mass erosion of trust between Unity and its developer base.
Now, a year later, Unity has officially walked back the Runtime Fee. As of September 12, 2024, Unity has scrapped the policy entirely and returned to its previous seat-based subscription model. This move, announced by Unity's new CEO, Matt Bromberg, comes after months of "deep consultation" with developers and partners. Bromberg acknowledged that the fee ran contrary to Unity’s mission of "democratizing game development" and aimed to mend fences with the community
This isn't just a victory for developers; it signals a shift in Unity's leadership and priorities. Former CEO John Riccitiello, who spearheaded the Runtime Fee policy, stepped down amid the growing controversy. His tenure was marked by decisions that many saw as prioritizing profits over the needs of developers, leading to the current state of affairs. Unity's credibility took a significant hit under his leadership, and this rollback is as much about repairing that damage as it is about revising the pricing strategy
Despite the cancellation of the fee, the scars left by the past year’s debacle remain. Developers are cautious, as Unity’s handling of the situation, particularly its initial reluctance to fully rescind the fee, shattered trust across the industry. As one developer noted, this “doesn’t do anything to assure indie developers that this kind of thing won’t happen again”
As for Unity’s future, the company is hoping to regain goodwill with several adjustments to its offerings. Unity Personal, a popular choice for small developers, will remain free, and the revenue cap for using it has doubled to $200,000. Meanwhile, Unity Pro and Enterprise customers will see an 8% and 25% price increase, respectively, starting in January 2025
It’s clear that Unity’s decision to cancel the Runtime Fee is a step toward recovery, but the company has a long way to go to rebuild its reputation. Whether these changes will be enough to regain the trust of the game development community remains to be seen.
