Unity license requirement when working with a game publisher

Hello there, can someone clarify to me if game developers need to have Unity Plus/Pro if they work with game publishers (that earn over $100k/$200k in revenue annually, but developers do not)? And even if it is not required, will there be a problem with mixed licenses, because publishers may contribute to your project development? So, is it possible to work with a free license when collaborating with successful publishers?

 

Your best option here is to contact Unity support if you are in doubt. Only Unity can really give accurate licensing advice.

 

This is a common situation, so it would be nice if there was a commonly available answer in clear writing.

I have asked this in the past and was told as long as the entity working in Unity didn't need Plus/Pro, then it wasn't needed, so if the publisher didn't use the Unity project used to make the game, and only sent them a build, then it wasn't needed as the restriction was about using the Unity software, not what is made with it.

However, the EULA keeps changing, so it seems we need to keep asking. A relevant bit is: "If you are an individual or a Legal Entity providing services to a third party, your Total Finances is deemed to be your customer or client’s Total Finances". I think that is referring to contract work, but could potentially cover publishing if is considered providing services to them, although I would consider it the publisher providing services to the developer.

 

It depends on your relationship with the publisher. If you are a separate entity, working for yourself, your own finances are used to calculate tier eligibility (I would assume this is the case). If your relationship is that your are providing services for the publisher, then the publisher's finances would be used instead.

https://unity3d.com/legal/terms-of-service/software

Regardless, Unity does not allow different license tiers to contribute to the same project. So if your publisher is going to use Pro, and will be contributing to your project, you'll need to use Pro as well.

I Am Not A Lawyer.