Epic Games, the creator of the popular game Fortnite, has announced new pricing updates for non-game industries using their Unreal Engine, Twinmotion, and RealityCapture tools. This move aims to accommodate the evolving needs of developers and companies outside of the gaming industry.
With the introduction of Unreal Engine 5.4 in April, Epic Games will offer new seat-based subscriptions for non-game industries. This pricing update will not apply to companies creating games, which will continue to follow the existing royalty model of a 5% royalty on products exceeding $1 million in lifetime gross revenue.
The decision to introduce new pricing options for non-game industries comes in response to changes made by Unity, another major player in the game development industry. Unity recently faced controversy with a price increase, which led to the resignation of its CEO, John Riccitiello. Epic Games aims to avoid similar backlash by carefully communicating their pricing changes.
Under the new pricing model, non-game companies generating over $1 million in annual gross revenue will have the option to subscribe to a seat-based Unreal Subscription priced at $1,850 per seat annually. This subscription provides access to Unreal Engine 5.4, Twinmotion, and RealityCapture. Epic Games plans to integrate Twinmotion and RealityCapture fully with Unreal Engine by the end of 2025.
Twinmotion and RealityCapture offer visualization capabilities and photogrammetry solutions that assist teams in building high-quality 3D experiences. These tools will be included in the subscription, while community-based support and learning materials will remain free.
For studios or companies purchasing more than ten Unreal Subscription seats, Epic Direct Support will be available for an additional $1,500 per seat annually. Furthermore, Twinmotion and RealityCapture will still be available for individual purchase, with Twinmotion seats priced at $445 per year and RealityCapture seats at $1,250 per year.
Epic Games emphasizes that these pricing changes are aimed at ensuring the long-term sustainability of Unreal Engine development. They are committed to keeping tools accessible to a diverse range of industries, from large enterprises to small studios and individuals.
In conclusion, Epic Games’ new pricing updates for non-game industries using Unreal Engine, Twinmotion, and RealityCapture aim to provide more options and flexibility for developers and companies outside of the gaming industry. By introducing seat-based subscriptions and integrating additional tools, Epic Games seeks to support long-term sustainability and provide advanced creator tools to a wide range of users.