Unity scraps controversial Runtime Fee but raises prices
Unity has scrapped its controversial Runtime Fee shortly before it was due to come into force.
The Runtime Fee – a per-install fee on games created with the Unity game engine – was due to begin with the release of Unity 6 later this year, but remained unpopular with game developers.
Unity will now revert to a subscription-only model, with the cost of Unity Pro subscriptions rising by 8% on 1 January 2025, and the cost of Unity Enterprise subscriptions rising by 25%.
Free Unity Personal subscriptions will remain available to users earning under $200,000/year.
Reversing an unpopular pricing change
Unity first announced changes in licensing last September, proposing to levy fees on any games created with the Unity engine that reached minimum installation and revenue thresholds.
The news was incredibly unpopular with users, with over 1,000 indie game developers signing an open letter of protest, and the proposed Runtime Fee was quickly watered down.
Unity CEO John Riccitiello subsequently “retired“, and Unity Create head Marc Whitten resigned.
Unity now back to per-seat subscriptions – albeit at a higher price
Riccitiello’s successor, former Zynga COO Matt Bromberg, has now announced that the Runtime Fee is being scrapped entirely.
In a blog post, Bromberg said that Unity couldn’t “pursue [its] mission in conflict with [its] customers” and the relationship “must be a partnership built on trust”.
Instead, Unity will revert to its previous seat-based subscription model, albeit with increases in the cost of those subscriptions.
Bromberg argued that users “understand that price increases are a necessary part of what enables us to invest in moving gaming forward”.
Cost of Unity Pro and Unity Enterprise subscriptions to rise next year
The new price changes, which are due to come into effect on 1 January 2025, will see the cost of Unity Pro subscriptions rise by 8%, from $2,040/year to $2,200/year.
The cost of Unity Enterprise subscriptions – described on Unity’s website as having “custom pricing” – will rise by 25%.
Unity Enterprise plans will also now be mandatory for studios with over $25 million/year in total revenue and funding, and a minimum subscription requirement “may also apply”.
Unity Personal subscriptions unaffected
Unity will retain two of the more popular aspects of the original Runtime Fee plans: the increased revenue threshold and removal of the splash screen for free Unity Personal subscriptions.
On the release of Unity 6 later this year, games created with Personal accounts will no longer have to include a ‘Made with Unity’ splash screen.
Indie artists and small studios will also qualify for Unity Personal subscriptions if their total annual revenue and funding is under $200,000/year, up from $100,000/year.
Price rises to be considered yearly in future
In his blog post, Bromberg says that Unity now plans to “revert to a more traditional cycle of considering any potential price increases only on an annual basis”.
Updated 11 October 2024: Unity has now updated its Software Terms – the terms of service for the Unity Editor – to reflect the cancellation of the Runtime Fee.
Read Unity’s announcement that it is cancelling the runtime fee
Read Unity’s FAQs about the upcoming increases in subscription pricing
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