A Massive Backlash Against Unity’s New Pricing Policy
Unity’s recent announcement of its Unity Runtime Fee has caused a major uproar among game developers. Instead of alleviating concerns, the company’s attempt to clarify the pricing changes has only fueled more frustration and anger.
Unity had hoped to address three key points regarding the pricing changes: who would be affected, what the fee would apply to, and measures to protect creators from unwarranted fees. However, their response, shared on Twitter and in a blog post update, has only intensified the outrage.
Unity’s Attempt to Clarify Falls Flat
In their response, Unity claimed that the price increase would only impact a small percentage of their customers, specifically those who have achieved significant downloads and revenue. They stated that over 90% of their customers would not be affected by the change. However, this statement has been met with strong opposition.
Mega Crit, the developer of Slay the Spire, swiftly responded to Unity’s update with a scathing statement. They called the pricing change a “violation of trust” and threatened to switch to a different game engine unless the Unity Runtime Fee is completely reversed.
Allegations of Deception and Betrayal
Mega Crit also pointed to a Reddit post that suggests Unity had been quietly preparing for this change since June 2022. The post claims that Unity removed its GitHub repository tracking license changes from its terms of service last year and then modified its TOS in April to remove a clause that protected creators from future license changes.
Mega Crit’s statement expressed their deep disappointment and accused Unity of a severe misstep. They emphasized that this was the first time they felt compelled to publicly speak out against Unity’s actions.
Developers Remain Skeptical
Despite Unity’s claim that only a small portion of their customer base would be affected, developers remain skeptical. The fine print of the policy and the suspicious modifications to the terms of service have left many unconvinced and far from supportive of Unity’s decision.
In conclusion, Unity’s attempt to clarify their pricing changes has only added fuel to the fire. The backlash from game developers continues to grow, with many expressing their disappointment and frustration with the company’s actions. Unity will need to address these concerns and regain the trust of its creators if it hopes to salvage its reputation in the industry.
Source: DOTESPORTS
