Unity Backtracks on Controversial Runtime Fee After Backlash from Angry Developers

Unity announced a controversial new runtime fee on its game engine, charging per install, drawing outrage from developers
Unity has now apologized for the confusion and anger, promising changes after backlash from developers
The initial policy announcement led to protests from developers, including switching off Unity ads and threatening lawsuits
The fee changes came after recent financial struggles for Unity, including layoffs and controversies around its CEO
It's unclear if Unity's promised changes will satisfy angry developers who want stability and reliability from the company

engadget.com

Relevant topic timeline:

9/13/2023

Unity's New Runtime Fee Sparks Backlash Among Developers Over Effects on Free Games and Trust Issues

Game developers are criticizing Unity's new pricing model, called the Unity Runtime Fee, which will charge a small fee to developers each time their game built on Unity's engine is downloaded, with concerns raised about the impact on free-to-play games, charity bundles, and smaller indie developers.

9/13/2023

Unity Angers Developers with Surprise Royalty Fees of up to $0.20 Per Install

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9/18/2023

Unity Backtracks on Controversial Runtime Fee Policy After Developer Backlash

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9/18/2023

Unity Rolls Back Controversial Fee Plan After Backlash From Developers

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9/18/2023

Unity Faces Backlash Over Plans to Charge Per-Install Fee, Developers Threaten Exodus to Unreal and Godot

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9/22/2023

Unity Backtracks on Controversial New Pricing Model After Developer Backlash

Unity has reversed its controversial pricing scheme after facing backlash from users, with a new policy that is more favorable for independent developers and eliminates the runtime fee for current versions of Unity.