Unity, a popular game engine, has announced a significant change that has left many indie game developers frustrated. Starting on January 1, 2024, Unity will introduce the ‘Unity Runtime Fee,’ which will be charged to developers based on the number of installs their games have achieved. This new fee structure has triggered backlash from indie studios and the gaming community.
The Unity Runtime Fee will apply to games that meet specific criteria. For users of Unity Personal or Unity Plus, their games must have generated at least $200,000 USD in revenue in the last 12 months and amassed a minimum of 200,000 lifetime installs. On the other hand, games created by Unity Pro and Unity Expertise users must have generated at least $1 million USD in the last 12 months and achieved over one million lifetime installs before the fees apply.
Once a game meets these thresholds, the monthly fee is calculated based on the additional number of installs per month, with the cost varying depending on the developer’s Unity plan and the country where the games are installed. Standard fees apply to specific countries, while emerging market fees apply to all other countries.
