By why fix a problem when you can judt charge more for a solution!? Jeeze it’s like you’ve never done a capitalism before.
Comment on Unity has changed its pricing model, and game developers are pissed off
Humanius@lemmy.world 9 months ago
From what I understand this change will retroactively apply to games released in the past as well. I think that’s a rather scummy move on Unity’s part. It’s not like game devs have been using a free product. They already pay for it through expensive licenses per developer.
If the justification on Unity’s part is true, that for each install of a Unity game the runtime environment needs to be downloaded from their servers, then maybe they should look into fixing that rather than nickle and diming their customers (customers in this case being the game developers)
MotoAsh@lemmy.world 9 months ago
Elderos@lemmings.world 9 months ago
Nothing is downloaded from Unity servers. This is an attempt at recouping money from developers making over 1M per year.
MotoAsh@lemmy.world 9 months ago
It’s not recouping if they were never owed it… This is a shakedown, pure and simple.
Elderos@lemmings.world 9 months ago
This is not the point I was trying to make. Replace “recoup” by whatever term you see fit I don’t think they are owed this money either. They are trying to cut on their quaterly losses tho, which are massives.
MotoAsh@lemmy.world 9 months ago
Yes, that’s what I said: they were never owed it.
orizuru@lemmy.sdf.org 9 months ago
According to the article, it’s not retroactively charged, but still bad if your game is about to come out and you haven’t accounted for this.
Humanius@lemmy.world 9 months ago
eurogamer.net/unity-reveals-plans-to-charge-per-g…
Other articles I have been reading on the topic do mention that though:
Unity has also clarified the changes are “not retroactive or perpetual”, noting it will only “charge once for a new install” made after 1st January 2024. However, while it won’t be charging for previously made installs, fees do indeed apply to all games currently on the market, meaning should any existing player of an older game that exceeds Unity’s various thresholds decide to re-install it after 1st January, a charge will still be made.
UxyIVrljPeRl@lemmy.world 9 months ago
So if i want to ruin a developer, I only need to install and deinstall all day?
Humanius@lemmy.world 9 months ago
Unity walked back from charging per installation earlier today. Now they will be charging per device it is installed on.
It doesn’t solve the core problem, but it at least prevents install-bombing like you are suggesting
Shiggles@sh.itjust.works 9 months ago
If by “scummy” you mean “questionably legal” (obligatory IANAL), then yeah.
Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 months ago
I also do anal!
Humanius@lemmy.world 9 months ago
I’m no legal expert, and I have no familiarity with Unity’s licensing terms.
So I didn’t want to outright call what they are doing illegal.
For all I know they did technically have a clause in their licensing agreement that allows them to do this. But that wouldn’t make it any less of a sum move imo.
elvith@feddit.de 9 months ago
I read in a other thread, that they’re not doing it retro actively on paper. Its part of the new terms for new licenses.
But since their licenses are perpetual and need to be renewed constantly, it will affect everyone when they hit the next cycle. Everything released afterwards is then affected. This even includes current projects in the works and even finished ones when you want to do a bug fix. That way, they seem to be “safe” to do that legally.