Unity, one of the leading video game software giants, has canceled its upcoming town hall meeting due to death threats received at two of its offices, Bloomberg reported on Thursday.
Unity, known for its game engine that serves as the foundation for thousands of video game projects, recently announced a controversial pricing decision that will charge developers 20 cents for every download of a game using their engine, starting January 1st.
The pricing change has faced significant backlash from developers and gamers who are concerned that it could bankrupt small developers and make free-to-play games unprofitable.
In response to the threats, Unity stated that it has taken immediate measures to ensure the safety of its employees. The company initially planned a town hall meeting to discuss the pricing decision with its employees, but the offices in Austin, Texas, and San Francisco have been closed through Friday, according to Bloomberg.
Initially, it was believed that the 20 cent charge would apply to any installation of a game using Unity software, including pirated copies and re-installs from users who have already played the game. However, Unity clarified that the fees would only apply to developers who have reached a certain threshold of downloads and revenue. The company estimates that about 90 percent of users will not be affected.
Unlike Unity, rival game software company Epic Games, developer of the Unreal Engine, only charges similar fees for projects that generate more than $1 million in total revenue, exempting smaller hobbyists and game entrepreneurs. While both software programs are free to use, they offer additional assets and tools that can be purchased.
As a result of Unity’s pricing decision, some developers have already announced their intentions to switch to competing game engines, even if their games are not subject to the fees.
“This decision puts us and many other studios in a position where we may no longer be able to justify using Unity for our future projects,” stated indie developer Aggro Crab Games. “If these changes are not reversed, we will seriously consider abandoning our years of Unity experience and starting anew with a different engine. It’s not something we want to do.”
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