Unity, a prominent name in the game development industry, comprises two significant components: the Unity Editor and the Unity Runtime. A recent development that has sent ripples through the gaming community is the introduction of the Unity Runtime Fee. This fee is directly linked to the number of times a qualifying game is downloaded by an end user, creating a paradigm shift in Unity’s approach to monetization.
Understanding the Thresholds
Games become subject to the Unity Runtime Fee when they meet specific criteria. The game must achieve a minimum revenue threshold in the last 12 months and surpass a minimum lifetime install count. The revenue and install thresholds are deliberately set high to avoid imposing fees on developers who are still striving to gain traction in the gaming market.
These criteria for the Unity Runtime Fee vary between Unity Personal and Unity Plus, and Unity Pro and Unity Enterprise subscribers:
- Unity Personal and Unity Plus: For these tiers, the game should have generated $200,000 USD or more in revenue in the last 12 months and must have a minimum of 200,000 lifetime game installs.
- Unity Pro and Unity Enterprise: The game must have earned $1,000,000 USD or more in the last 12 months and have a minimum of 1,000,000 lifetime game installs.
Flexibility for Developers
Unity is offering increased flexibility in licensing as of January 1, 2024, by making Unity Personal available to developers, regardless of their revenue. This change is aimed at empowering creators to have more control over their licenses. However, this shift has triggered discussions regarding whether it adequately addresses developers’ concerns.
Developers subscribing to Unity Pro and Unity Enterprise will have the opportunity to benefit from volume discounts, which can help offset the per-install cost of the Unity Runtime Fee as their games grow in popularity. Although positioned as an incentive, the extent of these discounts remains a topic of debate.(Read Too: Unity Technology Game Engine – is it Good For Beginners?)
Balancing Regional Disparities
In a move designed to address economic disparities between regions, Unity has structured its fees with sensitivity to variations in game monetization. This pricing structure acknowledges the economic contrasts between established gaming regions like North America and Europe compared to emerging markets such as India.
Unity Runtime Fee Schedule
The Unity Runtime Fee, applicable to new installations starting from January 1, 2024, is billed on a monthly basis. The fee structure includes:
Step 1: Check Your Eligibility
For the fee to apply, games must meet both revenue and install thresholds:
- Unity Personal and Unity Plus: Revenue threshold for the last 12 months is $200,000 (USD), and the lifetime install threshold is 200,000.
- Unity Pro and Unity Enterprise: The revenue threshold for the last 12 months is $1,000,000 (USD), and the lifetime install threshold is 1,000,000.
Step 2: Calculate the Fee
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The Unity Runtime Fee is tiered based on the number of new installations per month:
- Unity Personal and Unity Plus: Standard rate (if thresholds are met)
- 1–100,000 installs: $0.20 per install
- 100,001–500,000 installs: $0.075 per install
- 500,001–1,000,000 installs: $0.03 per install
- 1,000,001+ installs: $0.02 per install
- Unity Pro and Unity Enterprise: Standard rate (if thresholds are met)
- 1–100,000 installs: $0.15 per install
- 100,001–500,000 installs: $0.06 per install
- 500,001–1,000,000 installs: $0.02 per install
- 1,000,001+ installs: $0.01 per install
- Unity Personal, Unity Plus, Unity Pro, and Unity Enterprise: Emerging market rate (if thresholds are met)
- 1+ installs: $0.02 per install (Personal and Plus) / $0.01 per install (Pro and Enterprise)
- Unity Services and Discounts
Developers who adopt Unity services beyond the Unity Editor, such as Unity Gaming Services or Unity LevelPlay mediation for mobile ad-supported games, may be eligible for credits against the Unity Runtime Fee. This program encourages deeper collaboration with Unity to succeed throughout the game lifecycle. Developers interested in exploring this further can reach out to their account manager.
New Services and Tools
November will bring updates to Unity subscription plans, introducing new tools and services without increasing seat prices. These enhancements include features like Unity DevOps, cloud-based asset management via Unity Asset Manager, role and access controls in Team Administration, and the ability to add AI functionality at runtime with Unity Sentis.(Read Too: Unity Engine Pricing Many Developer Disagree About it Why?)
For Unity Personal subscribers, Unity Asset Manager’s free tier includes 10GB of storage in total, along with a maximum of three Unity DevOps seats that offer 5GB of storage and 200 Windows build minutes, and Team Administration base roles.
Unity Pro subscribers can enjoy Unity Asset Manager with 50GB of storage per seat, shared across the team, in addition to an equivalent number of Unity DevOps seats featuring 5GB of storage and 200 Windows build minutes. Team Administration tools for access management are also included.
Unity Enterprise subscribers receive the Unity Asset Manager, offering 120GB of storage per seat, shared across the team. They also have an equivalent number of Unity DevOps seats, each having 5GB of storage and 200 Windows build minutes. Advanced features, including custom roles and SSO, provide a higher level of control.
Unity Plus Retirement
A significant move that has stirred mixed reactions within the Unity community is the retirement of Unity Plus for new subscribers, effective from September 12, 2023. This decision aims to streamline Unity’s subscription plans and Existing subscribers, however, will receive an offer via email in mid-October, allowing them to upgrade to Unity Pro for one year at the current Unity Plus price.
Conclusion
Unity’s new pricing model has undoubtedly sparked widespread discussion and debate. As the gaming industry navigates these changes, developers and studios are assessing the impact on their projects and objectives. Unity’s commitment to empowering developers of all sizes is under scrutiny, and the ongoing discussions reflect the industry’s pursuit of a balanced, equitable, and prosperous future.
