Re-Logic Takes a Stand: Donates $200,000 to Unity Alternatives Amid Controversy
Re-Logic, the creators of Terraria, have condemned Unitys controversial Runtime Fee policy change and pledged $100,000 each to support Unity alternatives, Godot Engine and FNA engine, in a bid to counter the industrys loss of trust in Unity.
Re-Logic, the renowned game developer responsible for Terraria, has taken a principled stand in response to the recent controversy surrounding Unity, a widely-used game engine. Unity had stirred up discontent within the gaming industry with its controversial Runtime Fee policy alteration, which announced that starting in 2024, developers would be charged each time a Unity-built game is downloaded. The gaming community's reaction to this announcement has been overwhelmingly negative, with some developers, including the creators of Cult of the Lamb, like Massive Monster, even considering the removal of their games from Unity on January 1, 2024.
Re-Logic, although not a user of the Unity engine for their own games, has expressed strong disapproval of Unity's new policy. In a statement posted on the official Terraria Twitter account on September 19, 2023, Re-Logic lamented the loss of Unity as a formerly leading and user-friendly game engine to what they described as the "darker forces" affecting the gaming industry. They openly condemned the recent changes to Unity's Terms of Service and its free usage policy, emphasizing their disappointment in the way these changes were introduced.
In a gesture of support for Unity alternatives, Re-Logic has pledged to donate $100,000 to each of two open-source engines: the Godot Engine and the FNA engine. Furthermore, they have committed to sponsoring each of these engines with a monthly contribution of $1,000 for the foreseeable future. In return, Re-Logic has requested that these engine developers continue their efforts to enhance and make their engines more accessible for developers worldwide.
Although Unity has indicated its intention to revise the Runtime Fee policy in response to the backlash, the damage to trust within the developer community, including Re-Logic, has already been significant. Re-Logic's actions underscore the enduring impact of Unity's policy changes, emphasizing that rebuilding trust may not be a straightforward process, even if Unity were to backtrack on its policies and statements.
Comments