Unity introduces a commission for game installs, developers confused

Starting January 1, 2024, Unity will introduce a new commission system called the Unity Runtime Fee.

This commission will be charged for games if they exceed certain revenue thresholds for the last 12 months and total installs:

• For Unity Personal and Unity Plus users: $200k (last 12 months) and 200k lifetime game installs;
• For Unity Pro and Unity Enterprise users: $1 million and 1 million lifetime game installations.

The reaction of developers was mixed. Many expressed their dissatisfaction, losing trust in Unity as a partner and considering moving to other platforms. According to some reports, a class action lawsuit is being prepared against Unity.

Those who use Unity Pro, Unity Enterprise and additional Unity services are promised favorable terms. In addition, starting January 1, Unity will offer the Unity Personal subscription to all developers, while the Unity Plus plan will be discontinued.

Unity claims that with this new system, developers will be able to earn a steady income from interacting with players without giving away a portion of their revenue. Commission will only be charged for initial installs or installs on a new device. Demos, pirated copies, games from charity sets or Game Pass subscriptions will remain commission-free.