Video game maker Unity temporarily closes offices amid death threats following contentious pricing changes
Unity, in response to a series of death threats, has taken the unprecedented step of temporarily closing its offices in San Francisco and Austin, Texas, and canceling a scheduled town hall meeting, Bloomberg reported.
This move follows the controversial announcement the company made earlier this week, which has sent shockwaves through the gaming industry.
Effective January 1st, Unity intends to implement a new pricing structure, imposing charges on developers each time a game created with their engine surpasses specific revenue or installation thresholds.
“Today, we have been made aware of a potential threat to some of our offices. We have taken immediate and proactive measures to ensure the safety of our employees, which is our top priority,” a Unity spokesperson told Engadget. “We are closing our offices today and tomorrow that could be potential targets for this threat, and are fully cooperating with law enforcement on the investigation.”
This decision has ignited a fierce backlash from various corners of the gaming community, with concerns raised about the potential financial strain it could place on developers, publishers, and distributors.
In particular, developers who specialize in freemium games, those that are free to download but generate revenue through advertising and microtransactions, and those who set low prices for their titles, are expected to bear a significant brunt of these changes.
Notably, some game development studios, including the creators of “Slay the Spire,” Mega Crit Games, have taken a bold stance by pledging to migrate their projects away from Unity, even if this means grappling with disruptions to their production schedules.
This high-stakes move underscores the depth of dissatisfaction within the industry regarding Unity’s recent policy shift.
