In a recent public statement, Facepunch Studios, the developer behind the popular multiplayer survival game “Rust,” declared its intention to move away from the Unity engine for its planned sequel, Rust 2.
This announcement comes on the heels of Unity’s controversial decision to levy a tax per user install on games using its engine. While Unity’s newly introduced tax does have a high-profit threshold, it has not been well-received within the gaming community, particularly among PC developers.
Facepunch Studios criticized Unity’s policy for its complexity and issues related to tracking installs, which they claim is riddled with complications such as piracy, reinstalls, and bad actors. The developer expressed that the move was not about the cost but the violation of trust. “We’ve spent 10 years making Rust on Unity’s engine. We’ve paid them every year. And now they changed the rules,” said the studio.
In a candid post, the Rust developer lamented the broken trust with Unity, stating that the engine company showed its true colours and what it’s willing to do. “Unity is the worst company to be in charge of the Unity Engine,” the post read. Finally, in an effort to reclaim control over their future, Facepunch Studios concluded with a strong promise: “Let’s not make the same mistake again, Rust 2 definitely won’t be a Unity game.”
As this saga unfolds, both developers and players alike are questioning the future landscape of game development, particularly for PC games. With the relationship between Facepunch Studios and Unity severely strained, the gaming community eagerly awaits further updates on the development of “Rust 2.”
You can read Garry’s full blog post here.