Unity Technologies co-founder goes indie to make his own games

By Anthony John Agnello Updated February 22, 2013

unity the drowning

How quickly things change. Ten years ago the average indie video game was built on Adobe’s Flash and featured crude (though often charming) animation and mechanics. Ten years ago, we were still playing Snood. Now independent developers are funding beautiful projects like Dreamfall Chapters and Wasteland 2, 3D games with graphics that put hits from 2008 to shame, and they’re all built on tight budgets thanks to some incredibly versatile technology. Unity Technologies’ game engine and tools are instrumental in that process, and those indie games are just two examples from many birthed in the past few years that use the Unity Engine. As its star rises, though, Unity Technologies is losing one of its key creators. Co-founder Nicholas Francis is leaving Unity to, appropriately enough, make his own games.

“As great as it has been building Unity, I have come to feel that actually using it is what really scratches my itch,” explains Francis in a post at Unity’s official blog, “On days where I can just get into the zone and fidget around in some shaders, gamecode, a custom editor tool or whatnot, I feel really fulfilled. And at the end of the day, that’s what it boils down to.

“So I will be leaving Unity in order to join your ranks and dedicate myself to creating games. This has not been an easy choice—in fact, it has been one of the hardest ones in my life. I am infinitely proud of everything I’ve been part of building, proud of the team, and proud of having a tiny part of me in all your games. So proud that I can’t wait to experience Unity from the other side of the fence.”

With one of the chief architects behind Unity leaving to pursue his own goals, it will be interesting to see how the engine continues to grow as a creative tool. It already has great momentum in terms of business. In the past twelve months alone, Unity has forged partnerships to help expand the platform beyond mobile devices and PCs. Unity CEO David Helgason announced in September that Unity had partnered with Nintendo to help encourage indie developers to support the Nintendo Wii U. Considering the Wii U’s current sales, Nintendo needs Unity far more than Unity needs Nintendo. Iconic game designers like Peter Molyneux are also adopting the engine with greater frequency.

Topics

Anthony John Agnello

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Anthony John Agnello is a writer living in New York. He works as the Community Manager of Joystiq.com and his writing has…

Gaming

How to revive dead companions in Baldur’s Gate 3

Withers offering services to the player in Baldur's Gate 3.

You're given a good bit of leeway during battles in Baldur's Gate 3 before you or a companion actually bites the dust for good. While in battle, if a teammate does take enough damage to drop, they aren't dead then and there. Instead, they will be downed with a chance to roll every turn to get back up. If they roll successfully three times, the battle ends, or you use another character to pick them up, they're good. If they fail that roll three times, however, they will be completely dead. That can be harsh when you've become attached to certain characters and want to further their stories, so you'll be looking for any way you can to bring them back. Thankfully you do have a few options for reviving companions in Baldur's Gate 3, but just like respeccing, they aren't so obvious.
Pay Withers to bring them back

Withers is a friendly undead you can find in a secret room in the Dank Crypt found inside the Overgrown Ruins. After finding and speaking to him in his sarcophagus, he will offer you various services, one of which is bringing back any dead companions. He won't do this out of the kindness of his heart (probably because it isn't beating) and will charge you a heavy fine of 200 gold to do so. Still, that's a small price to pay to bring back a beloved character. Once paid, that character will appear in your camp where they would normally be, so there's no need to go back to their corpse and find them.
Use a scroll of Revivfy or learn it

Gaming

Every video game delay that has happened in 2023 so far

The player skates toward the moon in Skate Story.

Few things feel as inevitable in the video game industry as delays. Ever since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, game delays have only become more and more common as developers find previously set timelines unrealistic and adjust their release plans accordingly. More than halfway through 2023, we've already seen some notable AAA games like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Skull & Bones, and Pragmata delayed pretty heavily. Because video game release date delays are so common, it can be tough to keep track of every game that has had its launch date shifted in some way.
That's why, just as we did in 2021 and 2022, Digital Trends is rounding up every game delay that's announced throughout 2023. Here are the high-profile ones that have happened so far, listed chronologically by their new intended release dates.
The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR (March 16)

As Until Dawn: Rush of Blood is one of the best games for PlayStation VR, The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR, Supermassive Games' PlayStation VR2 successor, is a highly anticipated launch title for the upcoming VR headset. Unfortunately, it will no longer make PlayStation VR2's February 22 launch and will instead be released on March 16. On Twitter, a message from Supermassive Games says this delay will ensure that players "receive the most polished, terrifying experience possible" at release. The game was released on that date to mixed reviews.
Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key (March 24)

Gaming

Is Remnant 2 cross-platform?

Three characters shoot at a boss in Remnant 2.

Aside from the focus on firearms and integrating some randomly generated environments, the Remnant series sets itself apart from other souls-like games mainly with its focus on co-op. Both titles encourage you to team up with two friends to fight your way through the mutated monsters that await. After so many years of progress in terms of multiplatform games incorporating full cross-platform support, you might assume Remnant 2 will follow suit and let you make a group with anyone regardless of what platform they're on. However, the truth may be a bit more disappointing. Before you make plans with your squad, here's what you need to know about Remnant 2's cross-platform support.
Is Remnant 2 cross-platform?

Unfortunately, Remnant 2 does not have cross-platform play between PS5, Xbox Series X or PC -- and there's no word about it being added in the future.