Originally developed by SiGGRAPH, Unity is now one of the most ubiquitous game engines to construct 2D and 3D games and virtual simulations. If you're a budding game developer or a hobbyist, you might wonder: Is Unity game engine free? Now, let’s discuss Unity licensing, review the tool, and find out who can use Unity for free.

Unity’s Free Licensing Option: The Unity Personal Plan

Yes, Unity has a free edition called Unity Personal. This plan is ideal for learners, amateur developers, and small groups of enthusiasts.

• Revenue Cap: Unity Personal is free if the company or person using it has an annual income or funding less than $200000.
• Splash Screen Requirement: All games created with Unity Personal Edition feature a Unity logo in the startup window. This is acceptable for small projects and can easily be rejected by large studios as being unprofessional.
• Core Features: Unity Personal is designed to offer access to nearly all components in the engine, which is why it’s perfect for learning and small-scale projects.

The Advanced Developers’ Licensing Packages, Features and Costs.

That said, excellent for someone who is just starting with game development, but professional developers or studios who have a bigger budget may require more tools and functionality. Unity offers paid plans to meet these demands:

• Unity Pro: Specifically targeted at businesses and advanced development professionals, this plan increases options for data analysis, personalization, and support. When you reach monthly sales of $200,000, it becomes crucial for studios to implement this process.
• Unity Plus: A middle-level solution targeting freelancers and small studios. It has a few more aspects which are not present in the standard version such as; it allows users to create their splash screen and also it provides better performance analysis.
• Unity Enterprise: However, to cater for large-scale organizations that may need a dedicated support system the Unity Enterprise comes with extra tools, lessons and connections.

Explanation as to Why Unity Remains a Platform of Choice

Numerous creators, be they casual or professionals, find usage with Unity. It is rather easy to conclude how some game studios gain the upper hand purely by the use of Unity. Here is why Unity remains relevant in the market:

1. Simultaneous Deployment

With unity supporting up to twenty platforms, game developers are given great leverage. A single build can easily be deployed on multiple platforms, Some of these include Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and even web browsers. This cross-platform compatibility allows developers to:

• Avoid unnecessary excess work.
• Launch the game on various platforms, resulting in a higher Rate of Investment.
• Be able to butterfly effect off of existing AR or VR equipment as a consequence of speed and versatility.
• Such benefits are of immense value to indie creators as well as established corporations.

2. Wide Variety Asset Store

The variety that the Asset store provides is a breath of fresh air coupled with an enormous amount of ease. This resource is immeasurable when it comes to saving time and money for creators. Some major benefits include:

• Expertise Building: Focus collection of fundamental tutorials and instructions even before starting up any game. 
• Cost-Effective Packages: With the provided tools, you can save around designing new features from scratch. 
• Modular Features: Get a wide range of add-ons to accomplish ailing functions, for instance, Unreal engine plugins, virtual architecture, or general simulation software.

An enormous net has been provided to developers to bring their imagination into reality easily.

3. Supportive and Engaging Society

One can not overlook the fact that Unity has a rich and active ecosystem consisting of all sorts of developers, designers, and even amateurs around the world. As with any community, it has many benefits:

• Learning Materials: As a beginner or an already established developer there is an overwhelming amount of materials such as videos, online courses, blogs, and other useful resources to use to advance your skill in Unity.
• Q and A and Forums: Online forums and other platforms, such as Reddit, are the ideal places to ask questions to the community and search for previously solved problems.
• Networking: Community-driven events, including Unity conferences and awareness Hackathons, make it easier for developers to meet and exchange out-of-the-box ideas. 

Unity community is one of the crucial components of the ecosystem, helping developers not to remain lost or alone at any stage of their development.

4. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Tools

With all its advances in tools and practical approaches, Unity is now a key player in the development of virtual and augmented reality technologies. Its salient features are: 

• Compatibility with Platforms: Unity is compatible with virtually all VR – Oculus and HTC Vive, PlayStation VR, alongside AR- ARKit and ARCore platforms.
• Rendering Quality: The engine continuously generates high-poly performance, combined with real-time rendering, ensuring pleasant visual effects for any VR/AR experience.
• Applications In The Industry: Unity is more than a gaming engine as it runs VR/AR applications in both the healthcare and education industry, real estate ventures, as well as training simulations. 

Unity is suitable for applications and games of any size, so whether you're working on an innovative VR project or an AR, you will find ways and make use of the tool to deliver your vision. 

5. Flexibility In Use And Scale 

Unit renders itself into what every developer requires, making it a great alternative for projects of any size and scope. 

• Custom Scripting: The usage of C# scripting language enables developers to develop and utilize custom scripts to improve and adjust the gameplay and functionalities of the project.
• Functional Extensibility: Ready for use on small-scale indie games as well as extensive AAA games, ensures consistent service regardless of the use case.
• Integrated Development Environment: Unity incorporates construction and editing environments.

6. Learning and Career Opportunities.

The increasing use of Unity has resulted in an exponential increase in the demand for Unity developers in the labour market. By learning this program, a developer can:

• Create a portfolio demonstrating skills in one of the most desired engines.
• Get job offers from independent game developers as well as huge companies.
• Branch into areas like simulation design, 3D modelling, and VR/AR design.

Is Unity Free Enough for You?

Often, those just starting will find the free version of Unity Personal to be sufficient. It has all the necessary skills to learn how to develop a game, practice it, and even set up the release of small games. But while not great, if your aspirations or business would increase, it would make sense to invest in some of Unity's paid plans due to advanced tools and features such as the splash screen removal.

In summary, free access to Unity is given to those who meet the criteria of the Unity Personal plan; many users still consider it a bridge into the world of game development. With its features and points-to-scale, it continues to be popular, regardless of whether you are an independent personnel or the whole studio.