Unity CTO Steve Collins Steps Down Just Six Months After Joining the Company

Introduction of Unity

Steve Collins, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Unity Technologies, is stepping down from his role, the company confirmed in a statement to TechCrunch. His departure comes just six months after joining the game engine giant, marking yet another shift in leadership at a company that has been navigating turbulent waters in recent years.

Collins, a veteran in the gaming industry, joined it after serving as CTO at King, the developer best known for the blockbuster mobile game Candy Crush Saga. His move to Unity was initially seen as a strategic hire, bringing deep experience in mobile game development to a company whose engine powers thousands of games across platforms.

Its spokesperson confirmed Collins’ departure and emphasised that the decision was personal. “We can confirm that Steve Collins has decided to leave for personal reasons,” the representative said. “We’re grateful for his contributions. As we continue our transformation, we’re confident our world-class tech team will keep driving the strategy forward.”

While the company did not provide additional details, Collins’ exit adds to a string of executive-level shakeups that have rattled Unity’s leadership in the past year.

A Company in Transition

Its recent history has been marked by controversy and major restructuring. In late 2023, the company sparked widespread backlash within the game development community when it announced a drastic overhaul of its pricing model. The proposed changes, which included a new fee structure tied to game installs, were seen by many developers as unfair and damaging to smaller studios.

The outcry was swift and intense. Developers publicly criticised the changes across social media platforms, and some even threatened to abandon it altogether. In response, Unity eventually rolled back some of the most controversial aspects of the policy, but the damage to its reputation was already done.

The fallout from that crisis culminated in the resignation of then-CEO John Riccitiello, a former EA executive, who had led the company since 2014. His exit was followed by significant layoffs: in early 2024, it cut 25% of its workforce, affecting around 1,800 employees. The company said the decision was part of a broader restructuring effort aimed at refocusing on its core business.

Developer Trust Still Fragile

Though some time has passed since those major events, it has continued to grapple with rebuilding trust among developers, a community that was once among its most loyal supporters. The game engine remains a key tool for many indie studios and mobile developers, but confidence in its direction and leadership has not fully recovered.

Collins’ departure, while reportedly unrelated to these past issues, may nonetheless raise eyebrows within the industry. For a company in the midst of transformation, the loss of a high-profile technical leader could add to the perception of instability — or at the very least, create new questions about Unity’s long-term strategy.

What’s Next for Unity?

Despite the upheaval, Unity insists it remains committed to evolving its technology and supporting game creators. The company has been making moves to streamline its operations and refocus on core engine development, even as it explores opportunities in other sectors like film, automotive, and augmented reality.

No successor to Steve Collins has been announced yet, and Unity has not indicated whether it will be seeking a new CTO in the immediate future. For now, the company says its existing technical leadership will continue to steer development and innovation.

As Unity pushes forward with its transformation efforts, all eyes will be on how it balances internal change with the need to restore trust externally. For many developers, the company’s next steps will be critical — not only for the future of Unity, but for the ecosystem of games and creators that rely on it.

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