"My word choice was crude": Unity CEO apologizes after calling certain mobile game developers "f**king idiots"

The Unity gaming engine has been one of the most reliable names in the gaming industry over the years, with tens of thousands of products that run on it. It's available on PC, consoles, and mobile devices. Unfortunately, although mobile gaming is developing at a breakneck speed, it's often accused of poor practices like predatory microtransactions and pay-to-win mechanics. Unity CEO John Riccitiello has now apologized publicly after his comments about mobile gaming drew the ire of the gaming community.

Riccitiello previously commented on how mobile gaming was a great way for game developers to make money. He claimed that mobile game developers should always focus on monetization and aim to earn as much revenue as possible. According to him, the people who chose to do otherwise and prioritized gameplay instead were "some of the biggest f**king idiots." Riccitiello has been heavily criticized for the comment, and this is what likely led to the detailed apology from the Unity CEO.

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Unity CEO John Riccitiello publicly apologizes after his nonsensical comments about mobile game developers

The original comments were made in an interview with Pocketgamer.biz. Riccitiello insisted that those against focusing on the monetization part of mobile games represented a small section of developers. He claimed that this group was creatively brilliant but also stupid at the same time.

Since then, he has been heavily criticized by many, but Riccitiello claims that his words were misinterpreted.

After the backlash, the Unity CEO took to his own Twitter profile to publicly apologize for his controversial comments. He began by stating that his choice of words was poor and that he could have expressed himself better:

"I'm going to start with an apology. My word choice was crude. I am sorry. I am listening and I will do better."

Riccitiello then went on to clarify that he believed his statement was being misinterpreted. He began by crediting all developers, irrespective of the platform they choose, stating that what they do is impressive:

"First - I have great respect for game developers. The work they do is amazing. The creativity can be incredible whether on a AAA console, mobile or indie game, designed to be played by millions. Or a creative project, a game made just for the sheer joy of it."

He also added that many developers have to work hard to ensure that a game meets the expectations of fans:

"Second - one thing I have seen is that most game devs work incredibly hard and want people to play their game. To enjoy it. And, when appropriate for players to engage deeply. For the game devs I have worked most closely with there is often anxiety about whether players will love the game and appreciate all the work and love that went into making it."

Riccitiello clarified that he did not have a problem with mobile game developers prioritizing either art or monetization:

"Third - Sometimes all a game developer wants is to have a handful of friends enjoy the game. Art for art's sake and art for friends. Others want player $ to buy the game or game items so they can make a living. Both of these motivations are noble."

Finally, Riccitiello suggested that developers try to understand their players better. This would allow them to prevent poor decisions and structure their games accordingly:

"Fourth - What I was trying to say, and clearly failed at saying, is that there are better ways for game developers to get an early read on what players think of their game. To learn from their feedback. And, if the developer wants, to adjust the game based on this feedback. It's a choice to listen and act or just to listen. Again, both are very valid choices."

It remains to be seen if the public will accept these statements. Unity, meanwhile, hasn't publicly commented on the issue so far. It will be interesting to see if Riccitiello's comments increase the number of microtransactions in the future.