Tower Unite

{{Infobox video game

| title = Tower Unite

| image = Tower Unite Logo.png

| developer = PixelTail Games

| engine = Unreal Engine 4{{cite web |last1=Fraser |first1=Calum |title=Tower Unite – Alpha Demo {{!}} Alpha Beta Gamer |url=https://www.alphabetagamer.com/tower-unite-alpha-demo/ |website=www.alphabetagamer.com |access-date=4 July 2024 |date=15 July 2015}}

| platforms = Windows

| released =

| genre = Party game, Sandbox

| modes = Single-player, multiplayer

| designer = Macklin Guy

}}

Tower Unite is a virtual world party game and sandbox game developed by PixelTail Games. It was first released in early access on Steam in April 2016 and received a full release in April 2025. The game is set on an island in the style of a resort theme park, where players can interact, play mini-games, and join lobbies via matchmaking. In addition, players can host public or private virtual spaces known as "condos", customized with furniture and props.

The concept was initially developed in late 2006, but development was prolonged due to multiple development cycles and changing teams.{{Cite web |title=GMod Tower :: About |url=http://www.gmtower.org/index.php?p=about |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231009140912/http://www.gmtower.org/index.php?p=about |archive-date=9 October 2023 |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=www.gmtower.org}} It was eventually released to the public in 2009 under the name GMod Tower, as a mod for the Source engine game Garry's Mod.

In 2015, the developers founded PixelTail Games and began development of Tower Unite as a standalone game. The project received a developer grant from Epic Games and was successfully crowdfunded on Indiegogo that same year.{{Cite web |title=Epic Games awards $80,000 in Unreal Dev Grants |url=https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/blog/epic-games-awards-80k-in-unreal-dev-grants |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Unreal Engine |language=en-US |archive-date=18 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240218023635/https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/blog/epic-games-awards-80k-in-unreal-dev-grants |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Track Tower Unite's Indiegogo campaign on BackerTracker |url=https://www.backerkit.com/projects/tower-unite |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=BackerKit |language=en |archive-date=18 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240218023635/https://www.backerkit.com/projects/tower-unite |url-status=live }} Following the release of the game, GMod Tower was subsequently shutdown.{{Cite news |author1=Hannah Dwan |date=2016-11-24 |title=The rise, fall and future of Gmod Tower |language=en |work=PC Gamer |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/the-rise-fall-and-future-of-gmod-tower/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |archive-date=8 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108025641/https://www.pcgamer.com/the-rise-fall-and-future-of-gmod-tower/ |url-status=live }}

Gameplay

File:Tower Unite main world screenshot.jpg

Tower Unite is set in an open world island with a central plaza, tower, several stores and buildings, and a wharf with carnival-style games. Main features of the island include a casino, arcade, roller coaster, bowling alley, monorail and Ferris wheel, to name some. The outer areas of the island include beaches, pools, huts, and a lighthouse, with areas for fishing. The island has a simulated day-night cycle.

The theme of the plaza is updated to celebrate holidays and events such as Halloween and Christmas, and is populated by dynamic NPCs and time-based mini-game events. Playing games, partaking in events, and completing achievements earns an in-game currency, which can be used to buy things in the game; no real money is ever used.{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Monica |date=2023-03-27 |title=Tower Unite: How to Make Money Fast |url=https://gamerant.com/tower-unite-how-to-make-money-fast/ |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=Game Rant |language=en |archive-date=20 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231220204405/https://gamerant.com/tower-unite-how-to-make-money-fast/ |url-status=live }}

Players can enter buildings, buy goods from NPCs, customise their character, and talk by voice and chat text. As a virtual world game, there is no single aim or gameplay loop, but a variety of activities to support player interaction and world creation.

= User-generated content =

In version 0.6, Tower Unite introduced user-generated content with Steam Workshop integration.{{Citation |title=Tower Unite - Workshop Update Release Trailer - IGN |date=2018-09-27 |url=https://www.ign.com/videos/tower-unite-workshop-update-release-trailer |access-date=2024-02-18 |language=en |archive-date=18 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240218023634/https://www.ign.com/videos/tower-unite-workshop-update-release-trailer |url-status=live }} This allows for custom player models, props, and vehicles, as well as the sharing of condos.

Tower Unite comes with tools to help with packaging content, and supports the COLLADA format for 3D models.

= Condos =

Players can host their own private or public lobbies from a selection of maps, including buildings and open areas. They can decorate these areas or build structures, using props and furniture bought in-game or acquired from the Steam Workshop. In GMod Tower, the condo feature was initially intended as a home-like environment which players could customize, but the creation options have substantially expanded in Tower Unite, allowing players to design elaborate spaces in the style of larger maps.

= Game worlds =

Separate from condos and plaza activities, many of the main games in Tower Unite are known as game worlds and are hosted and played as individual activities. There are several game worlds available.

Mini-golf
Slaughterday Night Live (deathmatch)
Ball Race (racing platformer in the style of Super Monkey Ball)
Virus (FPS in the style of tag)
Little Crusaders (asymmetrical multiplayer combat game)
Zombie Massacre (third-person wave shooter)
Accelerate Kart Racing

In addition, two further game worlds are displayed but marked unavailable, and are currently in development: Planet Panic and Horror Hill.

= Other activities =

Tower Unite features an expanding range of smaller activities that the player can pursue, including fishing, arcade games, casino games, and finding collectibles. Some of these activities can be tracked in the Collection Book, a sub-menu which logs player statistics and activities.

Development and release

The idea of Tower Unite was first expressed in a concept in late 2006, with various attempts to develop it which were substantially delayed with numerous team changes. By 2009, the game was finally developed as GMod Tower, a mod for the Source engine game Garry's Mod. It became a cult hit and was one of the more significant Garry's Mod projects of its time, later featured in a Rock Paper Shotgun article in 2012 as a notable mod.{{Cite news |last1=Pearson |first1=Craig |date=2012-08-30 |title=A Brief History Of Garry's Mod: Community Contraptions |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/a-brief-history-of-garrys-mod-community-contraptions |access-date=2024-02-18 |work=Rock, Paper, Shotgun |language=en |archive-date=28 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231128202830/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/a-brief-history-of-garrys-mod-community-contraptions |url-status=live }}

In 2015, the developers founded PixelTail Games and began development of Tower Unite as a standalone game. This would lead to the retirement of GMod Tower, with a focus on building the concept further in a modern game engine. PixelTail Games received two forms of funding, a developer grant from Epic Games, and subsequently a successful crowdfunding effort on Indiegogo that same year.

The first public version of Tower Unite was released on the Steam store on the 8th of April 2016.{{Cite web |title=Tower Unite - SteamDB |url=https://steamdb.info/app/394690/info/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240218014223/https://steamdb.info/app/394690/info/ |archive-date=18 Feb 2024 |access-date=18 Feb 2024 |website=SteamDB}} It was released through the Early Access programme. In addition, Tower Unite supports cloud services including Nvidia GeForce Now.{{Cite web |last=updated |first=Alexander Cope last |date=2023-04-28 |title=List of available games on NVIDIA GeForce Now |url=https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/pc-gaming/list-of-available-games-on-nvidia-geforce-now |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=Windows Central |language=en |archive-date=18 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240218023634/https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/pc-gaming/list-of-available-games-on-nvidia-geforce-now |url-status=live }} In November 2016, an experimental Linux client was released.{{Cite web |date=2016-11-29 |title=Tower Unite, a community-based virtual world party game is now on Linux in beta |url=https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2016/11/tower-unite-a-community-based-virtual-world-party-game-is-now-on-linux-in-beta/ |access-date=2024-05-16 |website=GamingOnLinux |language=en}} In March 2019, the game was included in a Humble Bundle monthly pack.{{Cite web |title=March 2019 Humble Monthly |url=https://www.humblebundle.com/monthly/p/march_2019_monthly |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=Humble Bundle |language=en |archive-date=18 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240218023634/https://www.humblebundle.com/monthly/p/march_2019_monthly |url-status=live }}

On 19 April 2025, Tower Unite left the Steam Early Access program after nine years and was published as a full release. The release announcement noted that development would continue on the game, including new features and content, but that PixelTail Games would also expand into new projects.{{Cite web |date=2025-04-19 |title=Leaving Early Access - Tower Unite Version 1.0 · Tower Unite update for 19 April 2025 |url=https://steamdb.info/patchnotes/18167626/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250420021458/https://steamdb.info/patchnotes/18167626/ |archive-date=2025-04-20 |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=SteamDB |language=en}}

= Pricing and DLC =

As a design choice, Tower Unite has not implemented in-game purchases, microtransactions, nor subscriptions. Consequently, the price of the game has increased twice during development, first in May 2020 increasing from US$14.99 to US$19.99.{{Cite web |title=Tower Unite Steam Price History & Sales |url=https://steampricehistory.com/app/394690 |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=steampricehistory.com |language=en}} In January 2024, the price increased to US$24.99, with a developer for PixelTail Games stating the project was "just getting by" and "needed financial support."{{Cite web |date=2024-01-12 |title=TU Price Increase + Financial Support |url=https://forums.pixeltailgames.com/t/tu-price-increase-financial-support/49486 |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=PixelTail Games - Creators of Tower Unite! |language=en}} In July 2024, the price decreased back to US$19.99.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-12 |title=Price Decrease + Supporting TU |url=https://forums.pixeltailgames.com/t/price-decrease-supporting-tu/51036 |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=PixelTail Games - Creators of Tower Unite! |language=en}}

On January 30 2024, PixelTail Games released the Supporter Pack DLC on Steam. It gives players a limited range of cosmetic supporter items, but is primarily intended as a way for existing players to support continued development.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-29 |title=Tower Unite - Supporter Pack! - Steam News |url=https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/394690/view/3959294775391848808 |access-date=2024-05-16 |website=store.steampowered.com |language=en}}

Reception

The game has been praised for its Steam Workshop integration and user-generated content, including by journalist Jeff Gerstmann and gaming site Giant Bomb.{{Cite web |last=Gerstmann |first=Jeff |date=21 July 2021 |title=Tower Unite on Steam |url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/394690/Tower_Unite/?curator_clanid=40916617 |access-date=18 Feb 2024 |website=Steam |archive-date=18 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240218021413/https://store.steampowered.com/app/394690/Tower_Unite/?curator_clanid=40916617 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=18 July 2021 |title=Tower Unite on Steam |url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/394690/Tower_Unite/?curator_clanid=6856988 |access-date=18 Feb 2024 |website=Steam |archive-date=18 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240218023635/https://store.steampowered.com/app/394690/Tower_Unite/?curator_clanid=6856988 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=25 June 2021 |title=Play For All 2021 |url=https://www.giantbomb.com/videos/play-for-all-2021/2300-17069/ |access-date=18 Feb 2024 |website=Giant Bomb |archive-date=18 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240218023634/https://www.giantbomb.com/videos/play-for-all-2021/2300-17069/ |url-status=live }} In 2022, the website hosted their game of the year deliberations virtually inside Tower Unite.{{cite web | title=Giant Bomb's Game of the Year 2022: Day 1 | website=Giant Bomb | date=December 12, 2022 | url=https://www.giantbomb.com/shows/giant-bombs-game-of-the-year-2022-day-1/2970-22043 | access-date=October 9, 2024}}

In 2018, Brendan Caldwell of Rock Paper Shotgun described Tower Unite as a "bizarre resort town" and compared elements of it to The Sims and PlayStation Home.{{Cite news |last=Caldwell |first=Brendan |date=2018-03-09 |title=Ridealong: The bizarre resort town of Tower Unite |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/ridealong-the-bizarre-resort-town-of-tower-unite |access-date=2024-02-18 |work=Rock, Paper, Shotgun |language=en |archive-date=28 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231128195824/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/ridealong-the-bizarre-resort-town-of-tower-unite |url-status=live }}

In October 2023, GameRant ranked Tower Unite 14 out of 21 in a list of top FPS games for children, describing the game as a "hidden gem."{{Cite web |last=Birsner |first=Chris |date=2021-05-30 |title=21 Best First-Person Shooter Games For Kids |url=https://gamerant.com/best-first-person-shooter-games-kids/ |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=Game Rant |language=en |archive-date=13 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230913093918/https://gamerant.com/best-first-person-shooter-games-kids/ |url-status=live }}