We have a double dose of Unity game engine releases. Today marks the full release of Unity 6.4, while yesterday Unity Studio was released. Unity Studio is a light weight, visual script supporting, browser based version of the Unity game engine (we demonstrate in action here) that sadly is not being aimed at game developers. On the other hand, Unity 6.4 isn’t a very exciting release, full of mostly foundational changes for the future of the Unity game engine we recently discussed here.
Highlights of the Unity 6.4 release:
1. Engine Stability and Support
- Supported Release Status: Unity 6.4 is a “Supported” release, offering the same level of support (bug fixes and critical updates) as Long Term Support (LTS) versions until the next version is released.
- Incremental Upgrades: The post encourages continuous upgrading to narrow the “change leap” between major LTS versions.
2. Core Engine & Scripting
- ECS as Core Packages: The Entities Component System (Entities, Collections, Mathematics, and Entities Graphics) is now built directly into the Editor. This is a strategic move toward supporting CoreCLR and allowing for faster, incremental engine updates.
- Project Auditor Integration: Previously an optional package, Project Auditor is now built-in by default (found under Windows > Analysis). It includes a new rules package that can be updated independently of the Editor version.
3. Multiplayer & Matchmaker
- Enhanced Visibility: Developers now have direct access to Matchmaker logs (ticket creation, match results, etc.) via the Unity Dashboard.
- Flexible Logic: Support for OR operations using CEL expressions in pools and filters, allowing for more complex player matching criteria.
- Configuration History: The dashboard now tracks timestamps, authors, and “diffs” for all matchmaker configuration changes.
- Third-Party Hosting: Official support for hosting services outside of Unity.
4. Adaptive Performance (Consoles & Workflows)
- Expanded Platform Support: The “Basic provider” for Adaptive Performance now supports PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
- Automatic Quality Scaling: Unity can now automatically scale settings (like LOD, resolution, and shadows) on consoles based on real-time CPU/GPU bottlenecks to maintain stable frame rates.
- Unified Pipeline: Developers can use the same APIs and tuning workflows across PC, mobile, and consoles.
- Redesigned UI: A new interface for managing ScriptableObject-based custom scalers directly within scaler profiles.
5. Safety and Standards
- Unsigned Package Prompts: To improve project security, the Package Manager now triggers a pop-up warning when a user attempts to install unsigned packages or packages from sources outside of Unity.
Key Links
You can learn more about the Unity 6.4 and Unity Studio releases in the video below.