Explore the world of publishing on the Unity Asset Store

The Unity Asset Store is a top resource used by hobbyist, indie, and studio gamedev teams of all sizes. Behind its powerful tools and models resides a vast community of talented publishers who showcase their skills through assets, and pursue their own dreams as creators.

Just this past year alone, we saw hundreds of new game developers join our publisher program and introduce incredible tools and packages like Fluffy Grooming Tool, Stylized Explosion Pack, Low Poly People 100-Mega-Pack, and Dark Angel Music Pack. 

So how does one become a publisher? What resources are available to help you get started? And just how far can this endeavor take you?

There are thousands of asset publishers around the world who specialize in creating assets for just about any genre. These include art packs, tools, templates, audio assets, and so much more. Some publishers are indie creators, while others create while balancing full-time jobs at AAA studios or in entirely unrelated industries. In fact, we’ve seen quite a few publishers replace their day jobs with Asset Store income, and go all in on Unity assets!

If you create art, you can earn revenue from it. We’re talking music, sound effects, 3D models, animations, textures, 2D characters, particle effects – the list goes on. Your creations can be just the thing that other developers need for their prototypes or shipped titles. Whether you create as a hobby or professionally, there’s a market for your content that you can tap into, which can simultaneously help support your most ambitious goals.

Did you know that many of our top tools were created for indie games that never shipped? Rather than lose all of the time and effort spent on creating them, those tools were turned into Unity assets – and have since become some of our bestsellers. Whether your game simply didn’t make it to release, or you’re actively working on a project, the tools built to fortify your workflow can assist other developers too. Just put them up on the Asset Store to create some cash flow, and in turn, fuel your own development.

Here’s how to get started in just a few simple steps:

1. Create a Unity account if you don’t have one already.
2. Create an Asset Store Publisher account.
3. Read the submission guidelines to see what criteria is required for your asset to be approved and listed.
4. Go into your new Publisher Portal (unlocked by creating a Publisher account), and select “Create a package” to begin the asset submission process.

As with our submission guidelines, we have ample Asset Store documentation to guide you along your publishing journey. We made it even easier to find what you need as a publisher thanks to the “Sell assets” option on the Asset Store navigation bar.

Here, you can find helpful links leading to guides and other essentials, plus free assets for your product demos, as well as legal agreements and key details for creators. As owners of your assets, know that there are terms put in place to ensure that your materials are used fairly, and as intended.

In the Publisher Portal, you’re equipped with what you need to build, support, and grow your user base. In addition to creating and managing packages, you’ll also be able to:

• View in-depth sales analytics that show how much you’ve made in sales on each of your assets, alongside conversion rates, quantities sold, page views, downloads, wishlists, and refunds.
• Manage and filter all reviews that have been left on your asset’s product listing page, and reply to them directly.
• Add Scriptable Render Pipeline (SRP) compatibility information for your users when uploading with 2019.3 and above Unity versions.

Once you publish your first asset, you’ll gain access to exclusive Publisher forums, where you can learn from other successful publishers. You might even meet a future collaborator to grow with, or encounter Asset Store giants like Procedural Worlds. As its founder explains:

“I launched Gaia [with Procedural Worlds] on the Asset Store in 2015, and the response has gone beyond my wildest dreams. I’ve traveled the world to interact and collaborate with our amazing community. Unity has been incredibly supportive over the years, and is well-positioned as a creation platform for the future. I genuinely love what I do and would do it again in a heartbeat.”

With the Unity Asset Store, the ceiling of opportunity is almost infinite. While it might take some time and serious effort to become the next great success story, therein lies the secret behind some of the biggest games out there: taking a chance, learning along the way, and iterating with tools that are accessible today.

Sign up as a publisher and discover just how lucrative and personally fulfilling the Unity Asset Store can be.