2023-09-25 08:55:38
Particularly notable game of the year 2022, “Cult of the Lamb” is one of the many video games developed using Unity. MASSIVE MONSTER / DEVOLVER
Will these adjustments and the excuses that accompany them be enough to calm things down? In an open letter published Friday September 22Marc Whitten, one of the senior executives of Unity Technologies, announced the new version of the fee policy that his company, which produces one of the most used video game creation tools in the industry, intends to implement in place. “We should have discussed this with more of you and should have taken your feedback better into account before announcing our new policy”he writes, adding to be ” Sorry “. “We have heard your concern”he assures.
Initially, on September 12, the company announced that each studio would, from January 1, 2024, have to pay a tax when a game designed with its video game engine was downloaded by a user. The tax was to apply for all first installations of a game developed by a studio if the latter crossed certain thresholds in terms of revenue and number of downloads. Its amount also had to change depending on the version of Unity used for the development of the game.
Faced with protests from the studios – some even threatening to withdraw their game from sale – Unity finally partially reversed course. Developers using the Unity Personal plan, intended for individuals or small businesses, will ultimately not be affected by the tax, and the ceiling below which developers are exempt has been set at $1 million (940,000 euros) of turnover over twelve months. For those using the higher plans (Pro and Enterprise), the per-install tax will only apply for games using the next version of Unity, which is due to launch in 2024. Developers will also be able to choose between the tax or a percentage of their sales (2.5%).
Engines are essential cogs in the creation of a video game. They allow, for example, to compose character animations, game maps or lighting. Until now, Unity was favored by small studios because of its economic model: the platform offered free access for low-income structures and a subscription system above a certain threshold. . Unity is currently looking to rebuild its health: founded in 2004, the company went public in 2020 and has since used, with several waves layoffs, the last (600 people, or 8% of its payroll) dating from May, reports CNBC.
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