Unreal Engine Pricing to Rise for Non-Gaming Developers

Epic Games has announced plans to increase the cost of its Unreal Engine for developers outside of the gaming industry, starting next year. According to CEO Tim Sweeney, who spoke at Unreal Fest 2023, these developers will only have access to Unreal Engine through a seat-based enterprise software licensing model, similar to those used by Maya and Photoshop. Sweeney emphasized that the new model will be fairly priced, neither too expensive nor too cheap. The decision to change the pricing model is part of Epic's effort to address its financial challenges, which recently led to the layoff of approximately 830 employees. Sweeney stated that the company is reevaluating its priorities and exploring ways to better serve the needs of all its users. He also addressed concerns about engine royalties, confirming that Epic has discussed reducing its 5% revenue share model, but currently feels it is necessary for the company's financial stability.