[12] Unity was initially released for Mac OS X, later adding support for Microsoft Windows and Web browsers.

[14] The release included an optimized terrain engine for detailed 3D environments, real-time dynamic shadows, directional lights and spotlights, video playback, and other features.

[16] In addition to Android support, Unity 3 featured integration of Illuminate Labs' Beast Lightmap tool, deferred rendering, a built-in tree editor, native font rendering, automatic UV mapping, and audio filters, among other features.

[16] In 2012 VentureBeat wrote, "Few companies have contributed as much to the flowing of independently produced games as Unity Technologies.

[...] More than 1.3 million developers are using its tools to create gee-whiz graphics in their iOS, Android, console, PC, and web-based games.

[19] This version added DirectX 11 and Adobe Flash support, new animation tools called Mecanim, and access to the Linux preview.

[23] Through WebGL, Unity developers could add their games to compatible Web browsers with no plug-ins required for players.

[26] However, some gamers criticized Unity's accessibility due to the high volume of quickly produced games published on the Steam distribution platform by inexperienced developers.

[29] Unity 2017 tools featured a real-time graphics rendering engine, color grading and worldbuilding, live operations analytics and performance reporting.

[32] The C# source code of Unity was published under a "reference-only" license in March 2018, which prohibits reuse and modification.

[40][41] Unity 2021 brought multiple new features such as Bolt, Unity's Visual Scripting system, a new multiplayer library to support multiplayer games, improved Il2cpp runtime performance, Volumetric clouds for the High Definition Render pipeline.

[46] Changes to Unity 2022 were intended to improve productivity by reducing the time required to enter play mode and import files, and implementing visual search queries and multi selection in the package manager.

[48][49] Unity also announced plans for a revised licensing agreement, including a runtime-fee (see #Runtime fee reception).

[64][65] Unity 2022.3 LTS officially supports the following platforms:[66] Formerly supported platforms are Wii,[83] Wii U,[84] PlayStation 3,[85] Xbox 360,[85] Tizen,[86] PlayStation Vita,[87] 3DS,[88] BlackBerry 10,[89] Windows Phone 8,[89] Samsung Smart TV,[90] Gear VR,[65] Daydream,[91] Vuforia,[75] Facebook Gameroom,[91] and Stadia.

[96] During its first ten years as a product, the paid versions of Unity were sold outright; in 2016, the corporation changed to a subscription model.

[101] On September 12, 2023, Unity announced that use of the engine would become subject to royalties (referred to as a "runtime fee") beginning in January 2024, calculated per-installation and charged monthly, if the product reaches specific revenue and lifetime installation thresholds.

Unity states that monetizing the runtime in this manner is required to "allow creators to keep the ongoing financial gains from player engagement.

[107][98] Unity then issued a statement clarifying the definition of a chargeable "installation", and announced that the fee would not apply to charity games or bundles.

[111][112] An analysis by Ars Technica found that several older versions of Unity's terms of service would allow developers to continue to release their software without having to pay the new fee, as long as they did not update their project after the January 1, 2024 date.

The article noted that the Operate Solutions division, handling in-app-purchase services for example, was far more profitable than the Create division, and added that "The many indie developers who will be left by the roadside are completely incidental to Unity's goals, and are not going to be a significant factor in its future decision making.

[116] In response to this negative feedback, Unity Technologies introduced revised runtime fee terms on September 22, 2023.

[117][118] Unity Technologies faced a 60% decline in stock price over the year to May 2024, partially attributed to the runtime fee policy.

[120][121] CEO Matthew Bromberg announced in September 2024 that the company was discontinuing the runtime fee model of licensing, and instead would annually increase the price of existing plans.

[51] The engine is used in games including Pokémon Go, Monument Valley, Call of Duty: Mobile, Beat Saber and Cuphead according to the Financial Times in 2020.

[125][126][127] Unity allows researchers in the field of deep reinforcement learning to train agents inside Unity-created environments.

[128][129] In the 2010s, Unity Technologies used its game engine to transition into other industries using the real-time 3D platform, including film and automotive.

[61] In 2018, Disney Television Animation launched three shorts, called Baymax Dreams, that were created using the Unity engine.

[134] On December 16, 2013, Unity Technologies Japan revealed an official mascot character named Unity-chan (ユニティちゃん, Yuniti-chan), real name Kohaku Ōtori (大鳥 こはく, Ōtori Kohaku) (voiced by Asuka Kakumoto [ja; zh]).