In a swift response to a tidal wave of developer discontent, Unity, the widely used game development software, has issued an open letter addressing its controversial policy changes. The most contentious of these changes was the introduction of a "Runtime Fee" that threatened to impose costs on developers each time someone downloaded their games.

Unity’s Open Letter

Unity's open letter, signed by Marc Whitten, the leader of Unity Create, begins with a candid apology: "I want to start with this: I am sorry." This opening statement conveys a sense of responsibility, acknowledging that the company should have sought more feedback from its user base before announcing the policy changes.

The backlash was immediate when the Runtime Fee policy was unveiled earlier this month. Hundreds of developers voiced their concerns, highlighting the potential financial strain the new policy could place on them, especially in cases where their games attracted significant downloads. This uproar led to over 500 developers uniting to boycott Unity ads and the IronSource SDK until Unity was willing to reconsider the terms.

While the open letter does not constitute a complete reversal of the policy, it does shed light on specific changes Unity is prepared to make based on the feedback received. Notably, Unity Personal users will not face the Runtime Fee, and the revenue cap for Unity Personal has been raised from $100,000 to $200,000.

For developers working with Unity Pro and Unity Enterprise, the Runtime Fee policy will only apply to the next Long-Term Support (LTS) version of Unity, scheduled for release in 2024 and beyond. Existing games and ongoing projects will remain unaffected unless developers opt to upgrade them to the new Unity version.

Unity also offers developers subject to the Runtime Fee a degree of flexibility. Developers can choose between a 2.5% revenue share or an amount calculated based on the number of new users engaging with their games each month. This approach allows developers to select the payment method that aligns best with their business models and financial circumstances.

In a move toward transparency and direct engagement, Marc Whitten has invited Unity users to a "fireside chat" hosted by Jason Weimann. This event, scheduled for today at 3 pm CT, provides an opportunity for developers to pose questions and seek clarification on the policy changes. Additionally, a blog post detailing the planned Unity pricing changes has been made available to ensure developers have access to comprehensive information.