Unity introduced charge per runtime game install

[rickygai]

hi beegeedee,

Allow me to clarify this, please do not compare me with others, what I have shown are facts and true story of a retired person, only with some funding and time to continue with his dream to be indie developer .

I think the real problem developers ( for those met threshold or not ) concerned and scared of, is the runtime fee that held regardless of whether the game is being purchased or not but as long as the game is installed, runtime fee apply. This including developer’s previous published games starting Jan, 2024 ( assuming the runtime fee policy persists ).

Eventually, the runtime fee becomes monthly fee, especially to F2P gaming model where many said this will cause bankruptcy.

Even if I am publishing commercial games, this business model is very risky to take.

Hopes, this help.

[rickygai]

hi QueueButton, thanks for you sharing here.

First of all I am not a financial advisor, what mentioned below are merely for knowledge sharing and does not represents any company.

For technology companies, heavy losses is normal, company is loosing money each year but still able to operate, you may wonder how this company still can survives ?

Such company normally go through fundraising several rounds to get investment funding, investors via this fundraising process sometime we called it as “angel round”. If not mistaken, Godot also adopted fundraising.

Although such company may loose money for years, but as long as there are investors pumping in money via fundraising, the company continues to operate.

The process of fundraising may be loosing money to gain the current market share ( such as Unity owned 70% of market shares of mobile games platform in the world ) and this is one of the portfolio to attract more investors via the fundraising approach until the company hits its threshold to decide the next move.

Hopes, this help.

[rickygai]

Based on Unity pricing updates dated on 22nd September 2023.

From the requirements above to meet the Runtime fee, personally I am fine with it, as long as still using Unity Personal version 2022.x

I believed after qualifying USD200,000 gross revenue per year, the Unity Pro cost about USD2040.00 per year which definitely not a problem.

Dream BIG, assuming a single developer’s games hit USD1,000,000 gross revenue per year, this is a lot of money after converted to my local currency, then if choose the 2.5% gross revenue share, remains USD975,000 minus business operating cost, tax per year which is enough to buy 1-2 luxury landed houses and a new SUV car with extra left in my country, Malaysia

Meanwhile, I will continue with Unity as I am about to publish my assets after working for 1.5 years using Unity Personal and definitely will learn up Godot as to be safe, just in case.

Thank you for reading, have a nice day and all the best in your game development journey.

[rickygai]