That’s what I want to know. Can I get a paid version of unity3d without having to be signed up for a subscription. I know the fee would be huge compared to the subscription.
I think you can contact the sales department directly to arrange something like that, though the last time I heard of anyone doing such a thing was when the subscription process was very new, so things may have changed.
It’s a perpetual license. Afaik they don’t offer then anymore.
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As far as I know, they only offer subscriptions these days. The perpetual licenses are no longer available. When the perpetual licenses were available, they were actually less expensive than a subscription, especially with the discounts available for perpetual upgrade licenses.
The fact that unity3d is trying to make me do that is scary.
Yeah, it’s kinda shitty,especially considering you’re locked in for the entire payment period. Overall, it makes everything a fair bit more expensive too.
I remember seeing that the pro license turns into a perpetual one after 12 months, and you can continue to use the last version of pro that you received. However, now I see in the FAQ that you just get bumped back down to personal once your subscription expires… Did the policy change?
It changed without notice, warning or discussion.
TBH I don’t really begrudge Unity for charging for a professional version of the engine. Making a engine is a lot of work, so $125/month per person is not terribly significant compared to the time/cost of trying to build a stable engine.
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As i signed up for my pro subsciption contract at a time when the “Pay to own” was definitely still in the list, i fully expect that i still stay on the pro license after the end of my 24 month period of subscription
Everything else would bring Unity the next step closer to Autodesk-like business practices, which as a whole are totally customer hostile
I can’t confirm that. Early you had to buy each platform independently and now there is an all in one package. If you take the Plus version which is all you need for a beginner or small studio this is rather cheap compared to that. It’s $420 a year whereas you previously bought Unity for I think about $1,500? So at least for Beginners (Individual and StartUps) this is a huge benefit.
Who even needs the Pro version? Those who earn enough money to pay for it.
Also everyone is doing it, you can barely buy software today that has no subscription scheme, this includes Microsoft, Adobe and Autodesk. In exchange you get constant Updates.
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This was the same question I asked one month ago.
I also found a reddit saying “Pay to Own” is no longer for new customer, but still valid for customer who subscribe before the policy change date.
And lately Unity reply my question saying their developers haven’t prioritized making “Pay to Own” version since they didn’t receive many requests.
But they didn’t denied the Pay to Own, because commitment constraint both party, while Pro tier customers are obliged to make the monthly payments within commitment period as agreed in Terms, which is the same obligation for Unity made in their trade description.
My assumption is they would seal the version like 5x, but not now, maybe one day in 2019.
Before this thread gets locked, I consider the new trend of not only making your software solely subscription based, scummy. It’s reprehensible that they lock you into a 12 month agreement. Adobe is doing it, Unity is doing it, it’s becoming a big trend of “our way or go to hell” for the consumer.
If all major software starts doing this, don’t be surprised when the next generation learns on, and moves into professional practice with free/straight-purchase software like Blender and CSP. I’ve switched my entire work-flow away from Adobe to Clip Studio Paint EX, for the single reason I can buy a perpetual version license with CSP.
The Overton Window is once again inching in a direction not favorable to the consumer. Ten years ago this type of licensing would have been going to court, now we have 12 month mandatory contracts to boot. We’re arguing now, whether or not we should be able to PURCHASE something.
Don’t get me wrong, regarding royalties Unity is very favorable for mid-size to larger developers. They need a 12 month contract. They know without the contract, most would buy the license for a month, release the game, and call it a day. It should be a 12 month installment for out-right purchasing that LTS. This is the reason, despite Adobe being the “goto” for many things, I will never be touching an Adobe product again, and donating to Krita/Blender/ect.
A more sustainable model could be a rent-to-own scenario for each LTS release. Where you pay a 12 month contractual amount, to own that version. It’s a win-win. If you want the next LTS, there’s an upgrade fee. Users that couldn’t typically afford buying the software outright, get the advantage of payments, and the company gets the security of a 12 month agreement.
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What if we don’t want or need constant updates? What if I just want to use the current version of Photoshop without paying through the nose for a year of stuff I don’t need?
As The-Britain said, if I see a new feature in Photoshop 2018 (if that’s how they name them - I’m not sure because I’ll never pay a subscription for this type of thing) I absolutely have to have I can deal with having to pay to upgrade. Otherwise, it’s being foisted on us. There’s a reason they aren’t even permitting normal pay to own licenses (not even making them more expensive! Just dropping them altogether). It’s not for the consumer’s benefit.
Only if this turns into a flame war. Although I think we’re all pretty much on the same page here 
Really? Last time I checked they were fine with a monthly, no contract subscription. That was one of the major draws of it. You needed Photoshop for a quick job? Rent the PS+Lightroom package for about $10, unsubscribe if you’re getting no more work with it.
It’s pretty close to all by now. The few I can think of which aren’t subscription only are Allegorithmic (Substance Designer/Painter and soon another) and a few 3D modelling tools (some of those have odd restrictions on how many systems you can install on without paying more though).
Allegorithmic’s subscription option is even super-fair and includes all their software, plus it has decent incentives to keep going. Currently liking them above all other publishers.
I don’t think it’s illegal to make software subscription only, but the switch and bait tactics of saying you can rent to own only to remove the option silently might be.
And again whenever you need updates if the game goes well. If not, there isn’t much point. I really think contract-less would be useful.
Maybe. We certainly wouldn’t mind - they’d only do this for Pro, not Plus, so the total cost should be somewhere near the old purchase price.
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Reply: Sure for an increased price with no option of perpetual purchase. Great deal, pay even MORE to not own the software.
Reply: Yes, and the most important option to own after a fair number of consecutive payments.
Reply: Not illegal, civil. It’s the same deal going on right now with ownership over a game console or an Apple product vs. “We are just leasing it to you.” When I spend money on software, I want to forever own that piece of software. I’m not saying I want updates for free, forever. I’m not saying I expect it to be compatible with future OS revisions. I’m saying I want that version to be mine and know I can rely on that version to be mine. Even Windows is trying to incrementally become a “service” with their sneaky forced updates.
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And again whenever you need updates if the game goes well. If not, there isn’t much point. I really think contract-less would be useful.
Maybe. We certainly wouldn’t mind - they’d only do this for Pro, not Plus, so the total cost should be somewhere near the old purchase price.
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Reply: Exactly.
Constant updates are an absolute necessity. It’s the nature of the field. Games themselves are constantly evolving, what players (and developers) expect from a tool is very different what it was a couple of years ago, and will be very different a couple of years now. People already want more from engines than they currently provide, look a the laundry list of features current users are clamoring for. And that is only on the feature side.
The other part of the equation is platform targets. Devices, hardware and software operating systems are always changing. (And consumers are constantly upgrading theses things). Unity is always having to upgrade to work properly on a wide range of changes they have no control over. A two year old version of Unity won’t run properly on my current computer, it won’t properly deploy to certain build targets. An average development cycle of game (not even considering its live ops life span) normally require one or more updates depending on your target, just to function. It isn’t remotely comparable to something like Photoshop. A five year old copy of Photoshop will still work (in some cases) and create images that can be consumed. A version of unity a 2-3 year old may not work properly on your computer, and may not be able to publish to several platforms or have degraded performance. And certainly old versions can’t publish to new targets (AR/VR/Switch/etc).
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Certainly, and to obtain that functionality which is so necessary for developers, it is reasonable to pay for it. I do not find it reasonable to be locked into a 12 month contract, for which the end of the contract means I’ve gained nothing. I own nothing after that contract has expired. I will pay perpetually, forever, for access to the “pro” version, and even if I want to stop, I need to finish my 12 month obligation to pay, or else.
https://support.unity3d.com/hc/en-us/articles/205767715-How-do-I-cancel-my-subscription-
They will be so kind as to send you to a collection company for an imaginary bill.
The one thing I can give them credit for is not rolling you automatically into another 12 month subscription agreement with a shady evergreen clause.
https://support.unity3d.com/hc/en-us/articles/115004974706-How-do-I-stop-my-subscription-from-auto-renewing-
For now, which is the real problem of these things. The TOS can change at any time, and there’s jack you can do about it. Companies can raise the price, change the agreement, throw in an evergreen clause, doesn’t matter. You don’t own the software. You either agree, or you don’t get to use the software anymore. I want to OWN my software.
Only way to own your software is to write it yourself. Perpetual only removes the necessitity to continue paying. You’re still agreeing to a license and companies can very much terminate them too. Open source is a very close second to writing it yourself though.
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If I buy a copy of CS2, and have a disc/download of CS2, with a key. If I install that, there isn’t anything they can do about me installing it. Now we get into the territory of DRM, which in reality this is just the next stage of DRM. I want the ability to reliably know that I will have a piece of software without paying for it for all of eternity subject to the whims of the company I’m getting it from.