General Gaming Gaming Company Self-Immolation of the Day: Unity have lost their fucking minds, update: Unity announces 25% reduction in workforce (1,800 employees)

[Mr.Vic20]

1 minute ago, Brick said:

 

Jesus he's looking rough. 

Someone needs to photo shop a Sith hood and some lighting out of his hand ASAP! 

[Bacon]

Video game company Unity closes offices following death threat - BNN Bloomberg

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Unity Technologies Inc. cancelled a planned town hall and closed two offices Thursday after receiving what it said was a credible death threat in the wake of a controversial pricing decision earlier this week.

 

Some on reddit are saying it's sus. That Unity did it to garner sympathy.

[Firewithin]

Wow the death threat(s) may have been from their own employee

 

 

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

8 minutes ago, Firewithin said:

Wow the death threat(s) may have been from their own employee

 

 

 

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

From a now-former Unity employee:

 

[Firewithin]

Unity boycott begins as devs switch off ads to force a Runtime Fee reversal - Mobilegamer.biz

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Azur Games, Voodoo, Homa, Century Games, SayGames, CrazyLabs, Original Games, Playgendary and more are turning off all Unity ad monetisation to force a u-turn.

 

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Mobile game developers are now boycotting Unity by switching off its ad products, mobilegamer.biz can reveal.

 

The group is trying to force Unity into cancelling its proposed Runtime Fee policy.

 

At the time of publication, 16 different studios have pulled their Unity and IronSource ads: Azur Games, Voodoo, Homa, Century Games, SayGames, CrazyLabs, Original Games, Ducky, Burny Games, Inspired Square, Geisha Tokyo, tatsumaki games, KAYAC, New Story, Playgendary and Supercent.

 

 

[Ghost_MH]

Do LinkedIn embeds work here?

 

Omar Abdelwahed on LinkedIn: #uefn #ue5

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A small technical note on accurately tracking unique iOS mobile installs... You can't. Since Apple removed the unique identifier for advertisers (IDFA)…

 

Hey, I guess they work just like regular sites.

 

Either way, I hadn't thought about this. Apple blocks all trackers on iOS unless players opt in, but Unity hasn't announced anything to force developers to implement a player-facing tracking request. I don't see how Apple would be very happy if they find out Unity snuck a tracker into their runtimes. How else would they find out of one player is installing multiple times too the same device?

[DPCyric]

Wizards of the Coast Announce Magic Arena Is Going To Use Unity "Even Harder" | Commander's Herald

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SEATTLE, WA - In yet another baffling business decision, Wizards of the Coast has released a public statement saying that Magic Arena is going to not only stay on the Unity Engine, but will be...

 

[Keyser_Soze]

I was watching a GMM from a month ago and they had this news story on about Unity working with China to track the playtime of 2.4 BILLION gamers. So maybe they low key have had been tracking all this data (including installation data) for a long time

 

Researchers find China's game time limits ineffective in reducing excessive play

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China has imposed strict game time limitations for minors partly out of concern they could develop addictions, but a ne…

 

Now the focus of the article is on China but the fact it was Unity out there providing the data is what I think gets lost in the story.

[DPCyric]

I'm not even sure how they survive this even if they walk everything back. I imagine most companies are going to switch engines now and maybe something will rise up to take Unity's place. 

[crispy4000]

I feel like this could be the end of the gravy train, on our end, for indies.

 

Games Pass and PS+?  Developers are going to fight for shorter terms for their games on these services.

EGS/GOG/etc giveaways?  They probably get enough downloads in one giveaway to cross the threshold.

Prime gaming? Amazon is likely paying out the least of anyone, no way will they subsidize further to fulfill Unity’s demands.

Charity Bundles?  I don’t believe Unity has a system in place to specify this.  And I don’t expect them to apply it consistently.  And what of Fanatical?

 

Maybe we’ll see more developers transition away from Unity.  But it doesn’t solve the problem of old games getting their old ToS retroactively changed.

[Keyser_Soze]

Valve should step in and offer to pay for any game that wants to transition off of Unity to transfer to Source 2 Engine.

[Ghost_MH]

I'm sure this new bundle is totally unrelated.

 

Everything you need to know about Godot 4 Bundle

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We’ve teamed up with Zenva Academy for a bundle of courses to teach you to make and develop games with Godot. Pay what you want & support Girls Who Code!

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Witch Beam Games (Unpacking):

 

Unpacking on Steam

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Unpacking is a zen puzzle game about the familiar experience of pulling possessions out of boxes and fitting them into a new home. Part block-fitting puzzle, part home decoration, you are invited to create a satisfying living space while learning clues about the life you’re unpacking.

 

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Virgal Infernas (Vampire Survivors) - who JUST switched the game's engine to Unity:

 

Will you reverse the Engine with the new Payment Policy of Unity? :: Vampire Survivors General Discussions

STEAMCOMMUNITY.COM

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Heya, just read that unity is starting a new payment strategy starting 2024 which also works recursively. Image: https://unity.com/sites/default/files/2023-09/NewFeeTable.png Link: https://unity.com/pricing-updates It's a massive kick into the face of indie developers as the prices are brutally high and even if a player uninstalls and reinstalls the game, unity counts that as a new install. So a single user could, if bored or running automated bots, create a...

 

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The solution is simple, let's just ask ourselves "What would Riccitiello do if he were in charge of VS?"

 

And the answer is, "He'd solve the problem by charging players by the bullet. Retroactively!"

 

Jokes aside, we're looking into other engines, we can afford another port thanks to your support. It's just that it's going to be another bumpy ride and I'd rather spend that time and headspace on new features, content, and games.

 

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

LizardFactory (Orgynizer):

 

Orgynizer on Steam

STORE.STEAMPOWERED.COM

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Organize amazing swinger parties and match people, activities, rooms, and toys for an explosive evening. A light-hearted sex-positive puzzle romp that also supports a good cause.

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Metal Hellsinger dev says “get it while you can” amid Unity concerns | PCGamesN

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The founder of Metal Hellsinger developer The Outsiders warns fans in light of the ongoing concerns around new Unity fees that the game may not remain on sale.

 

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Now, Metal Hellsinger’s David Goldfarb sends his own short but succinct message: “Dear potential Metal Hellsinger players, remember we are a Unity game, which means get it while you f****n’ can.” In response to a query whether the team was planning to pull the game from sale, Goldfarb simply responds, “We will see.”

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

AppLovin CEO urges Unity and Riccitiello to ditch Runtime Fees or risk ‘tearing the industry apart’ - Mobilegamer.biz

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“If you continue to go on the path you’re on, you’ll destroy the trust and credibility that you have spent years building,” says Adam Foroughi.

 

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AppLovin CEO Adam Foroughi has stepped into the Unity furore with an open letter to John Riccitiello. Foroughi says Unity should abandon its proposed Runtime Fee policy as it risks ‘tearing our industry apart’.

 

As we revealed yesterday, Unity account managers have been offering developers a Runtime Fee waiver if they switch to Unity’s LevelPlay product in a move we’re told is intended to “kill AppLovin”.

 

Now AppLovin’s CEO Foroughi has broken cover with a blog of his own. In it he confirms that AppLovin’s own studios are supporting the Unity boycott announced earlier today, and says Unity should “retract” the Runtime Fee “and shift to transparent price increases”.

 

“Don’t make this about advertising,” he continues. “Don’t make this an attack on indies. Go back and rethink the choices you’ve made.”

 

 

 

The Generous Space of Alternative Game Engines (A Curation)

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The pursuit of platform agnosticism is a way of reclaiming power constantly lost to the game industry's drive to maximize profits.

 

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This post is a response to Unity’s heartbreaking announcement that they will… charge developers relentlessly for distributing their games? I struggle to frame exactly what they are doing because Unity’s decision is so bizzarely resentful toward their huge developer base that trusted them.

 

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I used to use Unity as an example for indie game’s dependence on a single tool. As a Flash developer it seemed like a disaster waiting to happen. I was often told I’m catastrophizing when I pointed out that our dependence on Unity bodes unwell for the future of altgames. What would happen to altgames if Unity disappeared?

 

It happened to Flash.

 

Why expect different this time around?

 

It keeps happening.

 

Unity’s hostility toward their user base, reflected in these decisions, is another reminder that we need to get real about who we place our trust in.

 

I can’t wrap my head around how John Riccitiello can call Unity’s most creative users “fucking idiots” for not being more exploitative with their monetization practices. Somehow creating art for the sake of sharing and creating art is a foreign concept to the people responsible for driving the future of the engine so many artists depend on.

 

When Riccitiello’s quote blew up on social media it was “walked back”. People defended him, as per usual with these things… reflective of the accountability issue in the game industry.

 

If we just has a little accountability things could be so different.

 

There is no accountability. This is obvious in all fields… From game journalism, to execs making these decisions.

 

Either way, everyone else pays for it.

 

 

 

Is Unity getting into the dream-killing business?

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Unity's claim that its per-install policy will only impact top developers isn't as reassuring as it thinks it is.

 

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Since speaking with Unity Create president Marc Whitten about the poorly-received Unity Runtime Fee, I have tried to take him and the company in good faith. However, with the repeated clarifying statements and changes to the Fee that the company has made this week, that's become harder and harder with each passing minute.

 

An exceptionally strange claim that Unity has repeatedly hammered (including in follow-up statements to Game Developer) has been this: the Unity Runtime Fee will not impact the vast majority of Unity developers, and only the top 10 percent of users should expect to pay significant fees.

 

Unity leadership surely hoped this argument would comfort the hobbyists and indies who've been public advocates for the engine. It hasn't. Why?

 

First, there's a clear disconnect between what Unity considers the "top 10 percent" versus the game development world. Unity is quite likely right that high-earning developers won't feel that great a sting from such a fee—but has not considered the earnings of developers doing "just pretty okay."

 

And second—possibly the point that risks damaging its brand more—Unity's messaging about only "the top 10 percent" of users being impacted sends a negative message to bright-eyed aspiring developers: if you do find success with Unity with your unique indie game, we'll be waiting there to take our fee.

 

 

 

Unity's self-combustion engine | This Week in Business

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This Week in Business is our weekly recap column, a collection of stats and quotes from recent stories presented with a…

 

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The reason Unity did this

 

So why would Unity kick such a hornet's nest here? I hope you won't think me too cynical when I say it's about profit. Or more precisely, the lack thereof.

 

STAT | $2.6 billion – Unity's lifetime accumulated deficit over 19 years of operations, a figure we got by combining the $2.2 billion lifetime debt of its last annual report with the $447 million in net losses it reported for the first two quarters of its current fiscal year.

 

That's a lot! It has also doubled in pretty short order.

 

STAT | $1.3 billion – Unity's lifetime accumulated deficit as of December 31, 2021.

 

Unity has never had a profitable quarter in its history. It has posted modest operating profits in the past three quarters for the first time ever, but I imagine there are lots of businesses whose books look better if you ignore income taxes, depreciation of property and equipment, amortization of intangible assets, millions in restructuring costs associated with laying people off because you think it's a healthy habit to get into, and of course stock-based compensation.

 

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

 

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Unity's Just Not Into You, Indie Developer

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How can you trust a business partner that will radically change the terms not only of your future relationship, but your existing one as well?

 

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When looking at these numbers, looking at the direction of Unity over the past few years, and looking at Unity’s management, it is quite clear that this is just the next step on the path Unity has been on for some time. It is a F2P services company that also provides a game engine as a service, and it is going to continue to develop in that direction.

 

It is also trying to develop its branches for VFX production and enterprise purposes such as architecture displays, but those goals are not particularly congruent with producing a good game engine.

 

The many indie developers who will be left by the roadside are completely incidental to Unity’s goals, and are not going to be a significant factor in its future decision making. As a developer, you have to assume that Unity will make more decisions like this that will harm you, because it just doesn’t care about what you do.

 

This is of course a Business Brained perspective which ignores the fact that Unity got to its current position by providing great tools for making games with small teams. If it doesn’t sufficiently invest in its engine, and if it drives students and independent developers away from it, it will also fall out of favour with mobile F2P developers over time. Unfortunately one of the symptoms of chronic Business Brain is an inability to be realistic about long-term consequences.

 

 

 

The Unity Runtime Fee spells disaster for students and teachers

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Unity's controversial new fee system has developers, as well as teachers and students, thinking about dropping the engine.

 

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With the many pain points and wild potential pitfalls brought up by developers this week, I don't feel like I can recommend the engine to my students in good conscience. These are brand new developers in most cases, making their first interactive works (many are already accomplished sound designers, composers, and musicians), and I don't want to send them down a doomed path, particularly as the best thing about Unity—its community—seems poised to dry up. Developers are furious for good reason, and it's reasonable to expect more folks to ride over to greener pastures at Unreal and Godot. I'm going to obviously need to transfer my own skills to a new engine so I can effectively teach my students and guide them on their first steps.

 

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Dreamfeel (If Found...)

 

If Found... on Steam

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If Found... is a game about going home, coming out and erasing everything.

 

[Bacon]

I don't even need to bother with text

[DPCyric]

1 hour ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

LizardFactory (Orgynizer):

 

Orgynizer on Steam

STORE.STEAMPOWERED.COM

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Organize amazing swinger parties and match people, activities, rooms, and toys for an explosive evening. A light-hearted sex-positive puzzle romp that also supports a good cause.

 

 

I might have to check this game out 🤔

[legend]

I really hope Unity shooting itself in the foot with a bazooka ends up a positive thing for the industry. Game engines are hard, but there is more than enough of a community and distributed development tools to make it possible for open source game engines to be "the thing" most people use. Even in terms of staying up to date it can work well because there is a thriving graphics research community as it is, and if there was a standard open source engine research hacked around in (much like how the AI community uses one from a few open source DL libraries), researchers would probably integrate with it making the connection to produce that much faster.

 

But you have to get people to commit to them to flesh them out. And maybe this will cause that.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

THE INEVITABLE "WE HEAR YOU" POST HAS ARRIVED!

 

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We have heard you. We apologize for the confusion and angst the runtime fee policy we announced on Tuesday caused. We are listening, talking to our team members, community, customers, and partners, and will be making changes to the policy. We will share an update in a couple of days. Thank you for your honest and critical feedback.

 

[Ghost_MH]

19 hours ago, legend said:

I really hope Unity shooting itself in the foot with a bazooka ends up a positive thing for the industry. Game engines are hard, but there is more than enough of a community and distributed development tools to make it possible for open source game engines to be "the thing" most people use. Even in terms of staying up to date it can work well because there is a thriving graphics research community as it is, and if there was a standard open source engine research hacked around in (much like how the AI community uses one from a few open source DL libraries), researchers would probably integrate with it making the connection to produce that much faster.

9ó⁹⁹9⁹⁹⁹o⁹ lol

But you have to get people to commit to them to flesh them out. And maybe this will cause that.

 

The tricky part are the asset stores. Unreal and Unity, both, have very robust asset stores that make it really easy to jump in and make something, especially for students or people starting out. I think the largest open source game engine is Godot and its asset store is lacking compared to the others. Not just in terms of stuff for sale, but also in terms of usability.

[legend]

26 minutes ago, Ghost_MH said:

 

The tricky part are the asset stores. Unreal and Unity, both, have very robust asset stores that make it really easy to jump in and make something, especially for students or people starting out. I think the largest open source game engine is Godot and its asset store is lacking compared to the others. Not just in terms of stuff for sale, but also in terms of usability.

 

Yeah that will be a little tricky, since people getting paid for assets they distribute is a feature, but I suspect also a solveable problem. Ideally, the engine would define ways to use signed content and then allow for 3rd party stores to open up that use that mechanism.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

The market remains unamused.

 

Unity Software Inc. (U) Stock Price, News, Quote & History - Yahoo Finance

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Find the latest Unity Software Inc. (U) stock quote, history, news and other vital information to help you with your stock trading and investing.

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

From Juan Linietsky, the Creator and Technical Lead of the Godot Engine:

 

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I have to say I find quite amazing that so many Unity users are begging the company for charging them upfront payment + revenue share. 

 

Hard to see a company with such faithful and loyal customer base. Can't picture Adobe, Autodesk or even Epic customers doing this.

 

 

That's the "irony" of this situation - pretty much every developer has said that they really have no major issue with giving Unity more money in the form of revenue share.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Per Jason Schreier:

 

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In a company all-hands meeting this morning, game tech maker Unity addressed the pay-per-install debacle and floated several big changes to the controversial new policy, including a 4% cap on fees and customers self-reporting installations.

 

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Under the tentative new plan, Unity will limit fees to 4% of a game's revenue for customers making over $1 million and said that installations counted toward reaching the threshold won't be retroactive, according to recording of the meeting reviewed by Bloomberg.

 

JUST GO WITH A FREAKIN' REVENUE SHARE AT THIS POINT - YOU'LL PROBABLY END UP MAKING MORE MONEY!

[Mr.Vic20]

Time for a change of management! 

[CitizenVectron]

EU doesn't like how basically two engines dominate game-making:

 

EGDF calls for EU regulation on non-negotiable contracts in wake of Unity backlash

WWW.GAMESINDUSTRY.BIZ

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The European Games Developer Federation has voiced its concerns over Unity's Runtime Fee, talking about "looming game e…

 

[Keyser_Soze]

17 minutes ago, Mr.Vic20 said:

Time for a change of management! 

 

Too late. Who's going to stick with them after this rug pull? If you hang around they could do the same thing at any time without warning.

[Mr.Vic20]

3 minutes ago, Keyser_Soze said:

 

Too late. Who's going to stick with them after this rug pull? If you hang around they could do the same thing at any time without warning.

That doesn't mean their board won't try the ol' "that was a choice made under the previous leadership!" 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Re-Logic (Terraria) is making donations of $100,000 each to open-source engines GODOT & FNA and will sponsor both engines for $1,000/month going forward.