Bolt visual scripting is now included in all Unity plans

A short while ago, Unity announced the acquisition of the Bolt visual scripting Asset from developer Ludiq. Now that the integration and technical transition of Bolt to Unity is complete, we are very happy to announce the next step in our plan to deliver visual scripting to all Unity creators:

Bolt visual scripting is now included in all Unity plans, at no additional cost.

We believe the world is a better place with more creators in it, and we know that visual scripting is a critical part of bringing ideas to life quickly in Unity. 

Bolt is now available for download by all Unity users through the Unity Asset Store . Users who purchased Bolt after Unity made the acquisition announcement on May 4, 2020 will receive a refund in the amount of their purchase. We’ll be sending an email to those users within the next two weeks.

The next version of Bolt, Bolt 2, which will bring improvements in capability, scalability, performance, and ease of use is in development. When it arrives, Bolt 2 will also be included in all Unity plans at no additional cost. More information to come later this year.

We are committed to providing a great visual scripting experience for users for all types of projects, regardless of the architecture. Bolt is an acceleration of this mission towards providing that experience. We’re also working to refine our various node-based tools to improve the general user experience progressively, over time, across the Editor.

We’ll have more to share about our work on visual scripting in the coming months, so please stay tuned. If you’d like to get involved with our Bolt development teams and learn more about involvement in our alpha and beta programs, check out the forum . Or, if you’d like to join the general conversation in the forums or on Discord . 

FAQ

What is Bolt and how does it work?

Bolt is a visual scripting asset for Unity. It enables Unity users to create logic for games or applications without writing code. Bolt has visual, node-based graphs that both programmers and non-programmers can use to design final logic or to quickly create prototypes.  Bolt also features an API that programmers can use for more advanced tasks, or to create custom nodes that can be used by other team members. To learn more about Bolt, find tutorials, and find links to the community, check out the Bolt Asset Store page.

Why did Unity acquire Bolt?

We believe the world is a better place with more creators in it, and we know that visual scripting is a critical part of being able to create amazing things with Unity. We want people to feel empowered to make amazing things and Bolt is a way to accelerate that mission. 

Will this acquisition change Unity’s own visual scripting tool development?

Unity remains committed to providing a core experience of visual scripting in Unity for all types of projects, regardless of the architecture. We are actively working on refining the synergy between our various node-based tools so that visual programming gets progressively unified across the engine.

Did Unity acquire Bolt’s publisher, Ludiq?

No, Unity has only acquired the Bolt asset. 

Is Bolt visual scripting now included in all Unity plans, at no additional cost?

Yes, Unity users with any plan can now download and use Bolt at no additional cost. This includes those with Personal Edition, Student and Education plans, and Plus, Pro, and Enterprise subscriptions.

How do I get access to Bolt?

Users can download Bolt through the Unity Asset Store .

What is the Unity Asset Store?

The Unity Asset Store is a marketplace with thousands of free or affordably priced assets that save critical time and effort for Unity creators. It is a powerful resource for successful Unity developers, with over 60,000 packs featuring tools and editor extensions, 3D & 2D art, cinematic quality music and sound effects, and more.

When will Bolt 2 be available and where can I learn more?

Bolt 2 is currently in development and we’re working to deliver a high quality release and a great experience for our users. We’re looking forward to sharing more details as it comes together and as the release approaches. Join the conversation in the forums to learn more. 

Should I use Bolt for my project or wait for Bolt 2?

We invite all users to use Bolt for projects expected to ship with Unity 2018, 2019 or 2020. Unity is committed to supporting Bolt for the duration of those LTS lifecycles, while Bolt 2 is expected to take over for future versions. Unity will communicate which version of Bolt is recommended for future LTS versions as they become available, to help our users make informed decisions for their projects.

Will content authored with Bolt be compatible with Bolt 2?

While Bolt 2 will provide significant improvements over Bolt, it is a major re-architecture and we anticipate there will be significant effort required to convert content made in Bolt to Bolt 2. We are exploring options on how to minimize the conversion effort.

I purchased Bolt after Unity announced the acquisition. Will I receive a refund?

Yes, users who purchased Bolt after Unity announced the acquisition of Bolt on May 4, 2020 will receive a refund matching the amount of their Bolt purchase. Expect an email communication with more information within the next two weeks.

How can I get started with Bolt?

First, download Bolt from the Unity Asset Store . You can then get started with a tutorial , and join the conversation in the forums or on Discord .