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Ex-EA Unity CEO apologises for “idiot” comment about devs

Unity CEO John Riccitiello apologises for 'crude' remarks made about game developers in a recent interview, and says he is 'listening and will do better'

Unity CEO John Riccitiello apologises for his words about developers

Unity CEO John Riccitiello has apologised for “crude” comments made in an interview toward developers who don’t implement monetisation options in their games – to a tremendous outcry from the industry. “I am listening and I will do better,” Riccitiello says.

In a recent interview with Pocket Gamer, the Unity CEO – formerly CEO at EA – called developers who don’t implement monetisation options early in their games “the most beautiful and pure, brilliant people” but also “some of the biggest f***ing idiots.”

As can be expected, this did not go down well with the gaming community, including developers behind Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, Gotham Knights, Celeste, Selaco, and EA’s Star Wars Jedi Survivor.

Riccitiello has now posted an apology on his Twitter page. “My word choice was crude, I am sorry,” the Unity CEO begins, “I am listening and I will do better.” He provides more context for his thoughts on the matter, or “what I would have said if I had taken greater care.”

Riccitiello adds that what he wanted to say but “clearly failed at saying” was that “there are better ways for game developers to get an early read on what players think of their game” and either adjust or not adjust based on feedback. “Both are very valid choices.”

“If I had been smarter in choosing my words I would have said just this,” he concludes, adding that the “idiots” comment is “a sentence that I wish I had never said.”

If you want to check out PCGamesN’s own interview with Riccitiello on Unity and the future of the PC, check out that link.