Understanding Asset licensing for client projects

Symptoms:

• You are a contractor hired to develop a game for a client and will be handling all asset purchases.
• You’re unsure which type of license is appropriate for your work.
• The client only receives builds and does not need to edit or modify the game.
• You want to confirm whether the client needs their own licenses or if your purchases cover them.

Cause:

• Different license types have specific restrictions regarding who can use them.
• Misunderstanding about whether a contractor’s asset license extends to a client, particularly when the client receives game builds.
• Confusion about when a client needs their own license, especially if they want to modify or access project files.

Resolution:

When developing a game for a client as a contractor, the correct licensing approach depends on the type of asset license:

• Extension Assets: The contractor must purchase seats for anyone who will access raw files. Since only the contractor is working with the assets, only they need seats.
• Single Entity Assets: These cannot be used for client projects. Single Entity licenses apply only within a single business entity, meaning using them in client work violates the license terms.
• Multi-Entity Assets: This is the correct choice for contractors, allowing them to legally use assets in client projects, ensuring compliance when working for other companies.

The correct approach for a contractor is to:

• Purchase Multi-Entity licenses for assets used in client projects.
• Use Extension Asset seats if the project requires it.
• Deliver only compiled builds to the client.

If the client only receives the final compiled game or partial builds (such as demos or progress updates) without access to the Unity project or raw asset files, they do not need to purchase asset licenses. The developer retains the license responsibility as long as the client is only using the delivered builds and not working with the assets directly.
However, if at any point the client requires access to the Unity project files, needs to modify or work with the raw assets, or plans to continue development, they must purchase their own licenses for all assets used in the project.

Alternatively, the contractor can work within the client’s Unity organization, where the client directly purchases Multi-Entity licenses for the assets needed in the project. This approach allows both the contractor and the client to access the project and asset seats under the client’s organization, ensuring compliance while enabling the client to retain ownership of the assets.

More information:

Please refer to the Asset Store End User License Agreement for more details.

Asset Store licenses: Extension Assets, Single and Multi Entity assets