Unity's Runtime Fee Sparks Massive Developer Protest and Policy Revisions

Politics, News Sept. 20, 2023, 10:59 p.m.

Protest against Unitys Runtime Fee policy gains momentum as over 503 developers and numerous studios, including Tap Nation and Machine Zone, turn off Unity Ads and IronSource monetization. Unity plans revisions in response to backlash.

In a growing protest against Unity, an increasing number of companies and developers have taken a stand by disabling ads and monetization. Last week, 16 game studios made a bold move by cutting off all forms of Unity-based monetization in objection to the company's proposed Runtime Fee policy.

This collective movement has gained momentum, with over 503 developers and counting, endorsing a joint letter vowing to cease all IronSource SDK and Unity Ads monetization "until new conditions are thoroughly reviewed." Notable studios that have joined the cause include Tap Nation, People Fun, Magic Tavern, Lion Studios, Belka Games, Machine Zone, Clipwire, Mindstorm Studios, and others.

The collective letter asserts, "As an immediate course of action, our coalition of game development companies is compelled to deactivate IronSource and Unity Ads monetization across our projects until these modifications are reevaluated. We implore others who share our perspective to take similar action. The landscape has shifted dramatically, and the stakes are unacceptably high. The Runtime Fee represents an undesirable alteration in our partnership with Unity, demanding immediate revocation."

In response to the mounting backlash, Unity executives have informed their employees of planned revisions to the contentious policy. These revisions encompass a maximum fee cap of 4% of a game's revenue for amounts exceeding $1 million, a non-retroactive installation threshold, and a self-reporting mechanism for install numbers. Unity has also issued an apology, acknowledging the "confusion and angst" generated by the proposed changes, with promises to share the updated policy in the coming days.