Unity’s recent announcement of implementing a Unity Runtime Fee has sparked controversy and upset within the game development community. Many studios have expressed their dissatisfaction with Unity’s decision and even threatened to withhold ad payments. However, the situation took a more serious turn when Bloomberg reported that Unity had to close two of its offices in Austin, Texas and San Francisco due to a credible death threat received.

To ensure the safety of its employees, Unity decided to cancel a town hall meeting that was scheduled to be hosted by CEO John Riccitiello. A spokesperson for the company stated, “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. 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.”

According to Polygon, the threat originated from an employee of Unity itself and was delivered through social media.

A Controversial Decision

Unity, being the development platform of choice for approximately 70% of mobile game makers, any change to its pricing structure or business model is guaranteed to send shockwaves throughout the industry. The company’s planned merger with monetization platform ironSource was already one of the biggest stories of 2022.

However, Unity seems to have been caught off guard by the backlash their decision has received. While it’s understandable that Unity would want to ensure its profitability, the unexpected nature of the move has stirred controversy even within the company itself.

Unity was recognized as one of the top 50 mobile game makers of 2023.