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How much does a unity license cost and do you have to buy one for each game you produce?
For example, if I were to produce a total of four games, which I want to distribute on the Wii, XBOX 360, ps 3, and pc platforms, how much would this cost in total? My question is once I have bought unity Pro and other licenses that total up to around $3000 I believe, am I free to make as many games as I want, or do I still need to purchase an additional license for each additional game I create. I really appreciate it if you clear this up for me, thank you.
Edit: Thanks for the detailed answer Eric. Do you have an idea of how much they charge for console games and if they also charge royalties later on for them?
Ins$$anonymous$$d of editing your question, just use comments please.
Answer by Eric5h5 · Aug 27, 2012 at 04:26 PM
Console licenses are per-game, and you need to write to Unity sales to get a price (though it will be a lot more than $3000). Also you need to be a registered developer for the respective consoles. You probably shouldn't even think about it unless you're a decent-sized company. Mac/PC/Linux publishing, as well as iOS and Android, is licensed per-developer rather than per-game.
Answer by Itinerant · Aug 27, 2012 at 09:27 PM
You may want to dig a bit into the references to get an exact number, but wikipedia gives a nice overview:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_video_game_development#Licensing_fees
Plus, with major systems just having the cash doesn't guarantee you the ability to license. The company has to look at things like your track record before they're going to let you release things on their platform. For that reason you'll want to get successful with computer/app games first, then make the jump to console.
Itinerant, I imagine what you are saying is true already, I just wanted to know the answer to what I asked, which isn't what you answered. I am just getting into unity and it's true that I am a beginner, but I want to know how much licenses cost because I will be dealing with these things in the future. And mostly I want to know this because there are other options available as far as game engines go, so I would like to know if Unity also takes a large chunk of the developer's profits similar to what the Unreal Engine does before I jump into learning this particular engine.
Ah, I misunderstood and interpreted your question as being what the total licensing costs of a project would be, not just the amount that Unity specifically asks for.
That being the case, the most definitive answer you'll get outside of writing Unity comes from the FAQ:
"I would like to develop for a console such as Xbox360, PS3, or Nintendo Wii. What do I need?"
Console publishing is not included with Unity Pro-- you will need a special Unity license for each platform on a per-title basis. First, you will need to be a registered developer with the console manufacturer or license holder, such as $$anonymous$$icrosoft, Sony or Nintendo. After you are registered and approved by the console manufacturer, you will need their devkit hardware and software tools. At that point you can purchase a console license from Unity Technologies for use on a per-title basis. Please use our contact form for more information.