this post was submitted on 13 Sep 2023
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Unity seems to imply that it only counts 1 install per user, but depending on how the phone-home works I'm sure this can be tricked somehow to get a similar result.
Edit: After initially telling Axios earlier Tuesday that a player installing a game, deleting it and installing it again would result in multiple fees, Unity’sWhitten told Axios that the company would actually only charge for an initial installation. (A spokesperson told Axios that Unity had “regrouped” to discuss the issue.)
Didn't they literally clarify that an user reinstalling the game multiple times on the same machine would count every single install?
I believe they changed their mind.
So they're trying to track it per device, which can also be exploited fairly easily.
Why aren't they doing it per purchase? I guess GamePass and similar services?
Edit: I guess live service games are a problem too. Just charge per initial download.
There are a lot of games that are available as free downloads on the app stores and rake in lots of cash, partially with ads, but mostly with microtransactions (think games like Clash of Clans). Can't charge per purchase if so many games are "free".
I'm having trouble phrasing it, but like when you "add to account" for the first time with a free game.
When you first obtain a copy would be how I'd phrase it, or when a copy is first attached to an account. I think that'd require Unity to actually talk to each shop their games are available at to know for sure when it happens, or maybe not.
Also, that'd open a loophole for games that don't require an account anywhere to download and play, or even games that you can play straight from the browser, Friday Night Funkin' being a prime example of those situations. Also, you -can- download and install a bunch of games from the Google Play Store without having an account, so that'd be another way to skirt that account check.
They changed it to try to detect the same PC, probably by assigning a token.
Easily manipulated, though, so it's still a shit idea
It is. I wonder how it is gonna detect different Steam Proton prefixes, because if they are all different PCs a bad actor can simply keep recreating the prefix. On powerful enough CPUs you can create a prefix in seconds.