Unity Shakes Up Pricing: Runtime Fee Axed, But Devs Face Licensing Fee Hike in 2024
Unity Cancels Runtime Fee, Replaces with Increased Licensing Fees
The Unity game engine has canceled its Runtime Fee policy, which charged developers based on the number of game installations. This decision comes after a year of backlash from the gaming community.
According to Unity’s official announcement, the Runtime Fee has been canceled immediately, regardless of the version of Unity being used. This change aims to allow developers to create games without worrying about additional fees.
After deep consultation with our community, customers, and partners, we have made the decision to cancel the Runtime Fee for our game customers, effective immediately.
Learn more: https://unity.com/ pic.twitter.com/7JwNruN5Qf
— Unity for Games (@unitygames) September 12, 2024
However, to make up for the lost revenue, Unity will increase the subscription fees for Unity Pro and Unity Enterprise starting from January 1, 2025. This is the first price increase in two years, and the company plans to review and adjust program fees annually.
Changes to Unity Pricing Plans
Unity Personal, which is free for personal use, will remain unchanged. The threshold for converting to a paid subscription has been raised from $100,000 to $200,000, making it more accessible to independent developers.
The annual fee for Unity Pro will increase by 8% to $2,200 per year, approximately NT$70,300. Unity Enterprise Edition will increase by 25%, requiring an annual income of more than $2,500. The actual charging price for Enterprise Edition will be determined through individual negotiations with Unity.
Developers who do not agree with the new contract plan can continue using the old contract indefinitely, as long as they choose not to update their Unity version.