Unity Technologies has announced that the limited version of its 'Unity' game development platform previously sold for $199 as 'Unity Indie' will now be available free.

Now simply called 'Unity,' the free engine and suite naturally contain fewer features than the $1499 Pro license but still offer plenty for budding designers and developers to tinker with. You can nab the suite in a 163MB download from FileShack.

"With the explosive growth in new platforms and performance improvement in our Unity suite of products," said CEO David Helgason in a press statement, "We believe that there are no technical hurdles remaining for high quality interactive content everywhere. Now we are removing financial hurdles as well."

While Unity is perhaps best known for powering browser games such as The Quest for R2-D2 and Flashbang Studios' fine games including Off-Road Velociraptor Safari, it can also produce standalone PC, Mac, iPhone and Wii versions.

Flashbang Studios, the creators of the web-based hit Off-Road Velociraptor Safari, has told Shacknews that it plans to further develop one of its games as a downloadable console title.

"We're in a financial position to make whatever games we want, so we will, and we want to see which of our ideas players enjoy," said Flashbang Studios founder Matthew Wegner in an interview with Shacknews.

"We're going to keep cranking out games in four to eight weeks of development just to see what people think of them. After awhile we'll take whichever game was most successful and continue development on it for WiiWare, PSN, XBLA, or whatever platform makes sense."

Flashbang was founded five years ago, with the goal of using profits from casual web-based games to fund projects like the outlandish Velociraptor Safari.

"The plan all along was to create a casual game, earn profit beyond its development costs, and invest that profit into an unusual, quirky idea," added... Read more

Flashbang Studios captured the attention of gamers everywhere after the release of their innovative web title Off-Road Velociraptor Safari.

Inbetween their busy schedules, the Flashbang team and I corresponded on a number of topics, including the upcoming Jetpack Brontosaurus, their unique development process, and the true meaning behind their games. Check out the full interview.

Flashbang: Who said that the Velociraptor as a whole is doomed to commit genocide? See, this is the very problem with the world today. The act of one casts a shadow over many, and we find ourselves demonizing entire cultures and races. You have now just done this to an entire species. Way to raise the hate bar. Read more..