This petition was created for myself and many other game developers to express our deep concern and disappointment regarding Unity Technologies' recent announcement to implement a runtime fee. As a member of the Unity community and a developer who has utilized Unity's game engine for several projects over the years, I believe this decision will have detrimental consequences for both developers and the broader gaming industry, and Unity itself.

Unity has long been praised for its accessibility and democratization of game development. It has empowered countless indie developers, small studios, and hobbyists to bring their creative visions to life without the financial barriers that often plague the industry. This accessibility has fostered innovation, diversity, and the emergence of unique and compelling games that will not have existed otherwise.

The introduction of this runtime fee threatens to erode these principles and have a negative impact on developers at all levels, for a plethora of reasons:

Financial Burden: Many developers rely on Unity to create games as a way to express their creativity or start their careers. Introducing a runtime fee will impose an additional financial burden, particularly on independent developers and smaller studios, making it harder for them to succeed.

Stifling Innovation: The Unity community has thrived on experimentation and innovation, with developers freely sharing their creations and collaborating on unique projects. The runtime fee discourages such collaboration and may lead to a decline in the creation of experimental and boundary-pushing games.

Reduced Accessibility: Unity's accessibility has been a driving force behind its success. This fee risks creating a barrier to entry for newcomers to the game development scene, hindering diversity and inclusivity in the industry.

Unpredictable Costs: Developers often work on tight budgets and may not be able to predict the costs associated with their games accurately. This fee could lead to unforeseen financial challenges, potentially stifling creativity.

Alternative Engines: This move may drive developers to explore alternative game engines that do not impose similar fees, potentially causing a loss of trust and community loyalty.

We understand that Unity Technologies must sustain itself and generate revenue to support its services and innovations. However, we believe that a more equitable approach can be found—one that ensures Unity's long-term sustainability while also preserving its core values of accessibility, innovation, and community collaboration.

Therefore, we, the undersigned members of the Unity community, kindly request that Unity Technologies reconsider the implementation of the runtime fee and engage in a dialogue with developers to explore alternative solutions that better balance the company's financial needs with the interests of its users.

We believe that together, we can find a more equitable way forward—one that continues to foster creativity, innovation, and collaboration within the Unity community while ensuring the long-term success of Unity Technologies.

The hope of this petition is to prompt Unity to reconsider implementing the runtime fee, as it will only serve as a detriment to current and aspiring game developers. This implementation only lessens the incentive that makes aspiring developers choose Unity above alternative game engines that already outperforms it.

One of the four core values of Unity is "to put users first". It's time Unity upholds their own values and commitments. We look forward to a constructive dialogue and a resolution that benefits all stakeholders.