Unity scraps its controversial Runtime Fees a year after introducing them

The backlash to Unity's Runtime Fees led to the resignation of CEO John Riccitiello last year.

Unity
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Last year, Unity announced a massive change to how users access and use its popular video game engine. The company introduced a Runtime Fee, which would apply to developers whose games crossed specific sale and install thresholds. The announcement was met with intense backlash and after a year of trying to win back developers, Unity is getting rid of Runtime Fees.

Unity CEO Matt Bromberg penned a blog post to announce the end of the Runtime Fee. “We want to deliver value at a fair price in the right way so that you will continue to feel comfortable building your business over the long term with Unity as your partner,” he wrote. Bromberg became Unity’s CEO after John Riccitiello stepped down just weeks after announcing Runtime Fees last fall.

The Unity logo on a black background.

Source: Unity

Going forward, Unity will double the revenue and funding ceiling for Unity Personal to $200,000. Unity Pro will receive an eight percent increase to $2,200 for its annual subscription. Unity Pro is required for customers who surpass $200,000 in annual funding. Unity Enterprise, which is required for customers who surpass $25 million in annual funding, will receive a 25 percent increase.

The cancellation of Runtime Fees is effective immediately. If you’re curious to see how Unity’s business performs under this new philosophy, we routinely report on the company's quarterly earnings.

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Donovan is a young journalist from Maryland, who likes to game. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge Scream nerd and film fanatic that will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_

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