We're excited to announce the release of Unity 6.1, our first Update release in the Unity 6 family. This release continues our commitment to delivering a stable, performant engine while expanding platform reach and adding new capabilities to help you create exceptional games and experiences.How Unity 6 releases are supportedWith Unity 6, we have changed our release model to ensure consistent quality and stability across every version, and make it easier for you to choose the right one for your productions. The Unity 6 family is designed to be stable and supported over an extended period, minimizing the cost and risk to upgrade – while improving on device performance so you can continue providing the best player experience possible.While we will continue to provide Long Term Support (LTS) versions, we are introducing Update releases (e.g., Unity 6.1) so that we can deliver new functionality and platform support more quickly. Unity 6.1 and all Update releases undergo the same rigorous quality assurance and stability testing as our LTS releases. Update releases are production-ready and fully supported, unlike previous Tech Stream releases, which were primarily for early testing of new features. Here’s how it works:Long Term Support releases (LTS)Unity 6.0 LTS, which released October 2024, is supported with two-year LTS, with an additional year of support for Unity Enterprise and Unity Industry users.Unity 6.3 will be released as an LTS version later this year. Our goal is to release an LTS version annually, providing a stable foundation for your projects.Recommended for: Live service games and creators who are about to lock in production on a specific version of Unity.Update releases (Supported)As an Update release, Unity 6.1 receives the same level of support as an LTS (including bug fixes and critical platform updates) until the next release is published. When Unity 6.2 is released, it will become the only Supported version. We aim to release multiple Update releases each year.Being able to confidently upgrade to the latest Update means you can always keep your productions on the most current release without sacrificing stability or performance. Recommended for: New and mid-cycle productions, and developers looking for the latest features and supported platforms. Update releases are fully production-ready and the preferred choice for beginning new projects, as they contain the latest features, platform support, and performance improvements.By supporting both LTS and Update releases, our goal is to give you maximum flexibility in how you approach development and live productions.What's new in Unity 6.1Unity 6.1 builds on the stability and performance shipped in Unity 6.0 LTS to enable you to deliver to more platforms, with better graphics, more efficiently. Here are some highlights available in this Update release: Get the best performance on any deviceUnity 6.1 offers significant performance optimizations to help your games run smoothly across a wide range of hardware:Deferred+ - Build richer worlds with the Universal Render Pipeline’s (URP) new deferred rendering path, which accelerates GPU performance using advanced Cluster-based light culling for more lights, with support for GPU Resident Drawer for more objects.Variable Rate Shading - Improve GPU performance with minimal impact to visuals. Set the shading rate of custom passes within URP/HDRP, and generate Shading Rate Images (SRIs) from textures and shaders.Get access to powerful workflowsStreamline your development process with tools to deliver higher quality games more efficiently:Project Auditor for static analysis - Analyze scripts, assets, project settings, and builds. Learn how to resolve issues and optimize the quality and performance of your game.Build Automation - Accelerate iteration cycles with cloud builds, with Build Automation now integrated directly into the Editor. Reach the widest audience of players globallyCreate for the latest supported platforms and devices to maximize your player reach:Large screens and foldables - Access enhanced support for large screens and foldables with the latest Android APIsUnity for Web - Run your Unity games anywhere the web exists, including mobile browsers. Experiment with the latest WebGPU graphics API integration and unlock compute acceleration for web browsersInstant Games on Facebook and Messenger - Streamline building, optimizing, and uploading instant games to Facebook and MessengerAndroid XR and Meta Quest - Save time and streamline the build process with the ability to create multiple build configurations for release and development builds including new support for Shader Graph with URP Application SpacewarpPC and console - Improve CPU performance, PSO caching, and ray tracing with enhanced DirectX 12 supportA continued focus on qualityUnity 6.1 features enhanced stability and performance designed to give you confidence in your development process. Easier upgrades between update releasesUpgrade your project to the latest update release with minimal disruption. With the Unity 6 generation, we've changed how we release the Unity Engine so that we can keep improving performance and stability, while making it easier and less disruptive for you to upgrade.Update releases undergo a minimum of two months of rigorous regression testing. New features and the upgrade process are tested in production with real games to ensure stability and minimize workflow disruption.Production VerifiedUnity 6 releases are tested and validated in real production environments with studios building games across different genres and platforms. These teams are using the latest versions of Unity, and, in some projects, we're acting as co-developers to directly embed our engineers in their production teams.This Production Verification approach allows us to:Test features in complex, real-world scenariosIdentify issues that only emerge at production scaleRefine tools based on direct feedback from game developersEnsure stability in diverse development environmentsBy working alongside developers in this way, we can deliver tools that perform reliably in the real world, not just in isolated test environments.For example, Survival Kids represents the first time Unity has designed and developed a game end-to-end in collaboration with a publisher partner, KONAMI, directly enabling us to improve the performance and stability of the Engine. We have also partnered with Black Salt Games and Google, learning about game services and implementing optimizations through porting DREDGE to Android. We are working with 10 Chambers to validate Engine graphics improvements in their upcoming co-op FPS heist game Den of Wolves, and with Litesport and TRIPP to validate readiness of the all-new Android XR platform.The insights gained through our Production Verification program have directly influenced many of the improvements in our latest Update release.Download Unity 6.1 todayUnity 6.1 represents our ongoing focus on stability, performance, and platform reach to ensure Unity remains the most versatile and reliable engine for game development. Whether you're creating mobile games, console titles, or XR experiences, Unity 6.1 gives you the tools to bring your creative vision to life and reach the widest possible audience.We encourage you to download Unity 6.1 and take advantage of these performance improvements, workflow enhancements, and expanded platform support. Check out the Unity 6.1 release notes for a comprehensive list of features and the Unity Manual for details on how to use them. Tune into our What’s new in Unity 6.1 livestream today, where our teams will dive deeper into the updates. Your feedback continues to shape our direction, so be sure to join the community on Unity Discussions for a follow-up Q&A after the livestream. You can also share your feedback directly with our product team through the Unity Roadmap.