Larry Hryb Fired from Unity

Major Nelson, real name Larry Hryb, is a name that to call "well-known" within the video game media is an understatement. For years he was the true frontman for Microsoft in the Xbox community, until in 2024 he left the Redmond company and joined Unity as Director of Community and Advocacy.

...until today.
With an announcement on his LinkedIn page and a post on the social network Bluesky, Hryb announced that he had been fired from the software house that develops and distributes the eponymous graphics engine and is now evaluating his next moves. "Like many others in the gaming space recently, I was laid off from Unity," he literally wrote on the social network.

"After nearly three decades of making an impact at Microsoft, I joined Unity in 2024 - the Major wrote on LinkedIn - During this time, I rebuilt their Community and Advocacy team with a clear strategy that created a clearer, more interconnected experience for creators, developers, and players. We brought energy back to channels that had gone dormant, restored trust, and showed consistency where it was needed. I increased Unity's visibility at PAX and other key industry events and ensured it had a clear voice in a broader conversation."

"Changes make you stronger - he continued - I am exploring opportunities where my experiences in community, leadership, platform strategy, and communication can bring growth at the intersection of hardware, software, and services," making it clear that he does not intend to remain idle for long.

Unity: A Struggling Engine?

Over the past two and a half years, Unity has repeatedly been in the spotlight due to a series of risky business and commercial policies: for example, we recall how in September 2023 the company tried to introduce a "tax" on installations of its graphics engine, which is largely free-to-use and therefore highly appreciated by independent developers and small indie teams, only to backtrack when contracts began to be rescinded in droves, leading to its total cancellation. Following the failed maneuver, then-CEO John Riccitiello [formerly an Electronic Arts executive] even had to resign.

From 2024 onwards, the company has faced numerous layoffs, and not even the launch of the Unity 6 engine seems to have brought new life to the company's coffers. The departure of a name like Hryb is just the latest piece of a mosaic that seems to be crumbling day by day.

In any case, we are confident that we will see Major Nelson back in action before long...