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Unity's Riccitiello apologies for "fucking idiots" comment

Unity's Riccitiello apologies for "fucking idiots" comment

The CEO of Unity John Riccitiello has apologised for ill-advised remarks he made in a recent interview.

Taking to Twitter, the chief exec said he was sorry for calling developers not prepared to fully embrace monetisation "fucking idiots". This follows Riccitiello previously insisting that the interview was "clickbait" and "out of full context".

In his apology, the CEO said that his choice of words was "crude".

"I am sorry. I am listening and I will do better," he said in the lengthy statement posted on Twitter," Riccitiello wrote.

"What I can do, perhaps, is provide more on what I was thinking when I did the interview. What I would have said if I had taken greater care.

"First - I have great respect for game developers. The work they do is amazing. The creativity can be incredible whether on a triple-A 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.

"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.

"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," he explained.

"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.

"If I had been smarter in choosing my words I would have said just this… we are working to provide developers with tools so they can better understand what their players think, and it is up to them to act or not, based on this feedback. Anyway, that’s it. Lots of words. And a sentence that I wish I had never said."


PCGamesInsider Contributing Editor

Alex Calvin is a freelance journalist who writes about the business of games. He started out at UK trade paper MCV in 2013 and left as deputy editor over three years later. In June 2017, he joined Steel Media as the editor for new site PCGamesInsider.biz. In October 2019 he left this full-time position at the company but still contributes to the site on a daily basis. He has also written for GamesIndustry.biz, VGC, Games London, The Observer/Guardian and Esquire UK.