Recent changes by game engine Unity have resulted in the cancellation of a planned Nintendo Switch port of the popular WipEout-like racing game, Ballistic NG. The SF-based computing company altered its Runtime Fee policy, generating confusion and widespread criticism among developers and gamers alike.

Originally, Unity planned to charge developers a small fee every time someone downloaded their game built on Unity's engine after it surpassed particular minimum revenue and install count thresholds beginning in 2024. However, Unity later altered this approach to exclude games developed under Unity Personal, raising the financial bar from $100,000 to $200,000, removing the usage requirement of the Made with Unity splash screen, and assuring no game under $1 million in revenue will be subject to the fee.

This amended plan, coupled with the need for Switch games to operate on updated Unity versions, distressed developer Neognosis, who decided to terminate the Switch port of Ballistic NG. The company indicated its uncertainty about Unity's future directives and a hesitation to upgrading to new Unity versions due to the proposed Terms of Service changes imposed with them.

Neognosis deeply regretted its decision consequent to years of toiling for port preparation. The company expressed its disappointment and acknowledged the shared letdown with the game enthusiasts enthused about the upcoming version. They are set to work on a future project in collaboration with the mooted Switch 2 or other consoles, possibly on different engines.

Reacting negatively to Unity's original policy modification on September 12th, many developers expressed concerns about the effects it might have on charity bundles, multiple installs, Game Pass, and free-to-play bundles. Some even suggested the idea of retracting their games from the engine. Among them was the developer of Among Us, Innersloth, who hinted at temporarily pulling the game from the platform.