Unity launches the Game Growth Program to support mobile indie developers

Unity announced today it is launching the Game Growth Program for free-to-play indie games on mobile. 

By joining the program, chosen indie developers will have a chance to access tools plus a dedicated team of Unity developers to get support for user acquisition, monetization, and engagement, alongside funding for user acquisition to acquire new players. 

Unity will share the revenue 50/50. Unity and the chosen developer team will split the revenue from advertising and in-app purchases 50/50 after the user acquisition spend Unity made has been recouped. 

Unity clarifies the revenue-sharing model with an example below. 

1- An indie developer has a mobile game that makes $3,000/month. They apply to the Game Growth program. Unity spends $100,000/month to acquire new users to the game, retains those users with dedicated live operations support, and grows the game to $130,000/month in revenue.*

2- Unity would first recoup their $100,000 in monthly user acquisition costs, leaving $30,000 in monthly revenue. So the developer and Unity would share that $30,000 equally, giving $15,000 to the developer and $15,000 to Unity.*

Unity commits to let indie developers retain full control and ownership of their IP, alongwith no permanent revenue share commitments to Unity from the partnership once the program is completed.

Also Read: Unity Software files for IPO

“Great games often go unnoticed, especially within the Indie segment,” said Julie Shumaker, Vice President of Revenue, Operate Solutions, Unity. “We believe creators shouldn’t choose between their entertainment vision and the tactical execution required to build audiences and make money. Ultimately, the Game Growth Program supports developers in the journey to yield the highest success for their game all while retaining ownership of their company and IP. Our measurement for success is that these participating developers will eventually outgrow the program because they’ve built a sustainable business that can stand on its own as a result.”
For applying to the program, developers need a valid Unity ID and a game made with Unity live on iOS or Android. Heading to the Game Growth section on the Unity Dashboard, they can start the process of application.