[Announcement] Google Maps Unity SDK For Gaming

According to Google, you can still transition to your own server to provide the Semantic Tile API or even the Playables API. However, I am still concerned about them discontinuing the Unity SDK.

https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/gaming/transition-guide

 

I've lost a lot of respect for the Google leadership. I feel sorry for the maps team who have honestly been amazing to work with and I know are devastated about this news. This will hurt many devs who invested in this platform, most with the promise of big things. Lesson learnt, never trust Google.

 

Is there any news on this topic - how can Unity developers use Google Maps?

 

Good question. Technically it still seems possible but you gotta do it yourself.
They provide a guide on how to switch the SDK from the Google servers to a custom backend: https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/gaming/transition-guide?hl=en
So their backend will shut down the end of this year. However they still provide a massive API for general usage of Google Maps: https://developers.google.com/maps Of course you gotta pay for traffic and data, but I think that was surely the idea of their "gaming services" too.

Note that there are alternatives to Google. Namely OpenStreetMap: https://www.openstreetmap.org/
I would rather rely on that for a game, because if they were to shut down, you could download and provide the map yourself. Sadly Google is by now kinda known to - while still very generous with free offers - shut down things again rather abruptly if they don't expand as expected to become profitable. So I wouldn't base my business project solely on them.

Edit:
There is a plugin for OpenStreetMap: https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/integration/open-street-map-client-143711

 

We moved to Mapbox when google jacked up the price on google maps in 2019, was cheaper and easier to use and more features. There are some free openstreetmap unity demos on github but not as polished.

 

Hi there,
is this what Google means by "deprecate"?
Do they mean that they won't develop the product any further, or that it will stop working by the end of the year?

Thanks for the help!