This letter has been signed by more than 30 companies and indie developers
Collective letter from game development companies: Turning off all IronSource and Unity Ads monetization until new conditions are reviewed
We are the collective voice of the game
development industry - developers, game designers, artists, and business minds. Passionate about our
craft, we've invested years in shaping an industry that touches the lives of millions worldwide. As
stakeholders, we cannot remain silent when a decision threatens to destabilize this ecosystem.
Unity
has been an instrumental force in this industry. In many ways, it has inspired us to create new
immersive worlds and empowered a plethora of dynamic and independent developers to bring their visions
to life. We've played our part in this journey, moving the industry forward and creating specialists that use Unity as the primary game engine for their projects.
We've hosted Unity-centered
events, shared our knowledge, and crafted educational content that's inspired an international
community. Thanks to this symbiosis, Unity has evolved into a cornerstone of game development and is now
established as an indispensable asset in game creation.
That's why the September 12
announcement hits us hard. Effective January 1, 2024, Unity plans to introduce installation-dependent
fees, a decision that jeopardizes small and large game developers alike, made without any industry
consultation. To claim, as Unity has, that this new 'Runtime Fee' will impact only 10% of the industry is
not just misleading, it's patently false.
We strongly oppose this move, which disregards the
unique challenges and complexities of our industry.
While we've always viewed our work as
a collaborative effort, this decision blindsided us. With one stroke of the pen, you've put hundreds
of studios at risk, all without consultation or dialogue.
To put it in relatable terms - what if
automakers suddenly decided to charge us for every mile driven on the car that you bought a year ago?
The impact on consumers and the industry at large would be seismic.
This comes at a time when
the industry is already grappling with tightening profit margins, heightened competition, and escalating
costs in both development and marketing. This isn't just about developers. This impacts artists,
designers, marketers, and producers. It's a cascade that could lead to the shuttering of companies
that have given their all to this industry.
Unity, we've stood by and celebrated your every
innovation. Why, then, were we left out of the conversation on a decision so monumental?
As a course of immediate action, our collective of game development companies is forced to turn off all
ironSource and Unity Ads monetization across our projects until these changes are reconsidered.
We
urge others who share this stance to do the same. The rules have changed, and the stakes are simply too
high. The Runtime Fee is an unacceptable shift in our partnership with Unity that needs to be
immediately canceled.
We entered this industry for the love of game development, but what makes it truly special is the community - a community built on openness, shared expertise, and collective progress.
If you share our sentiment, we call on you to join us. Turn off all IronSource and Unity Ads monetization until a fair and equitable resolution is found.