Unity CEO John Riccitiello Steps Down Following Runtime Fee Fiasco
A few hours ago, Unity Technologies revealed that President, Chief Executive Officer, Chairman, and member of the Company's Board of Directors John Riccitiello will step down, effective immediately.
The news comes shortly after the Runtime Fee fiasco. A few weeks ago, Unity announced it would introduce a new fee based on game installations. The development community rebelled, with many threatening to switch engines to Epic's Unreal, and Unity was forced to promise it would amend the new policy.
Eventually, it was decided that the Runtime Fee would be capped at 2.5% of revenue over $1 million, based on user-reported figures. Additionally, it will only apply to games made with the new version of the engine due to be released in 2024.
However, the company faced a massive loss of reputation, which likely led to the change in leadership. Unity is now seeking a permanent CEO; in the meantime, James M. Whitehurst has been appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer, President, and a member of the Board, while Roelof Botha, Lead Independent Director of the Unity Board, has been appointed Chairman.
Whitehurst said in a statement:
I am honored to join Unity as Interim CEO and President at this important time in its evolution. With the Company’s experienced leadership and passionate employees, I am confident that Unity is well-positioned to continue enhancing its platform, strengthening its community of customers, developers and partners, and focusing on its growth and profitability goals. I look forward to working closely with the Board and our talented global team to execute on our strategy, and I anticipate a seamless transition.
Riccitiello, formerly CEO of Electronic Arts, also shared some thoughts on the news:
It’s been a
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