The technology was developed for different platforms.[10] By 2018, Unity was used to make games and other experiences for more than 25 platforms, including mobile, desktop, consoles, and virtual reality.[15][16] Unity games can also be deployed on the Web.[16][15]
The Unity Asset Store launched in November 2010 as an online marketplace for Unity users to sell project assets (artwork, code systems, audio, etc.) to each other.[17]
In April 2012, Unity reportedly had 1 million registered developers, 300,000 of whom used Unity on a monthly basis.[18] In May of the same year, a survey by Game Developer revealed that approximately 53% of mobile game developers were using Unity.[19] By 2016, the company reported more than 5.5 million registered users.[20] Part of Unity's appeal is that it allows people who lack the technical knowledge to program games from scratch to create games and other simulations.[10]
Facebook integrated a software development kit for games using the Unity game engine in 2013.[21] The kit featured tools that allowed tracking advertising campaigns and deep linking, where users were directly linked from social media posts to specific portions within games, and in-game-image sharing.[21]
Unity acquired Applifier, a Helsinki-based mobile service provider, in March 2014. Applifier's game replay sharing and community service was initially called Everyplay, and became known as Unity Everyplay. The acquisition also meant that Applifier's mobile video ad network, GameAds, became Unity Ads.[22] Two more acquisitions followed later in 2014: Playnomics, a data analysis platform for developers (now Unity Analytics), and Tsugi, whose continuous integration service became known as Unity Cloud Build.[23][24]
In October 2014, Helgason announced in a blog post that he would be stepping down as CEO with John Riccitiello, the former CEO of game company Electronic Arts, replacing him. Helgason remained with the company as executive vice-president.[25][26] Unity Technologies made a brief foray into virtual reality with their support for Chinese company AntVR in late 2014. Unity co-developed Legend of the Curse for the Jitao headset, but the hardware never achieved mainstream popularity.[27][28]
Software developer Niantic released Pokémon Go, which was built using Unity engine, in 2016.[29] Following the success of Pokémon Go, Unity Technologies held several rounds of funding that increased the company's valuation: In July 2016, a $181 million round of funding valued the company at approximately $1.5 billion;[29] in May 2017, the company raised $400 million that valued the company at $2.8 billion;[30] and in 2018 Unity's CEO confirmed a $145 million round that valued the company at approximately $3 billion.[31] Also in 2016, Facebook developed PC gaming platform Facebook Gameroom with Unity.[32][33] In 2017, Unity Technologies acquired Multiplay, a business that offers multiplayer server game hosting, from retailer Game for £19 million.[34]
Unity Technologies released the Unity 2017 version of its platform in 2017.[35] Unity worked with Google on ARCore in 2017 to develop augmented reality tools for Android devices and apps.[36] The following year, Unity Technologies worked with Google Cloud to offer services for online game developers and Alphabet Inc. subsidiary DeepMind to develop virtual world artificial intelligence.[37] The Unity platform is used to help machines through reinforced learning.[37] According to Fast Company, DeepMind uses Unity software to train algorithms in "physics-realistic environments", where a computer will continually try to achieve a goal through trial and error.[37]
The use of Unity Technologies software expanded beyond games in the 2010s, including film and television and automotive.[38][39][40] For the automotive industry, carmakers use Unity's virtual reality platform for design and virtual world car testing simulations.[40] In October 2018, Unity Technologies acquired Digital Monarch Media, a Canadian virtual cinematography company.[41]
Unity Technologies created the Unity Icon Collective in November 2018.[42] The team creates assets for sale in the Unity Asset Store for PC and consoles.[43] The assets—characters, environments, art, and animation—can be used in high-quality games; the move was seen as an attempt to compete with Unity's rivals, such as Epic Games' Unreal Engine.[44]
The company acquired Vivox, a cross-platform voice and text chat provider based in Framingham, Massachusetts, in January 2019.[45] At an acquisition price of $123.4 million,[46] the company became a wholly owned subsidiary of Unity Technologies and operates independently.[45] Vivox's technology is used in Fortnite, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, and League of Legends, among others.[45] Terms of the deal were not disclosed.[47] In May 2019, the company confirmed a $150 million Series E funding round that increased its valuation to $6 billion. In July that year, it announced that together with D1 Capital Partners, CPP Investment Board, Light Street Capital, Sequoia Capital and Silver Lake Partners, it would fund a $525 million tender to allow Unity's common shareholders to sell their shares in the company.[48]
The company's IPO filing revealed that they reported losses of over $162.3 million in 2019, and have consistently lost money since its founding in 2004. Despite the losses, the company has consistently grown in terms of revenue and employee numbers.[55]
