Heads up, Unity devs: The 5.5 version of Unity has graduated out of beta and is now marked as a stable release, which presumably means a beta version of 5.6 is in the works.
Devs who haven’t already messed around with the Unity 5.5 beta should know it encompasses a significant list of performance improvements and engine changes, including a notable level of support for codeless in-app purchases and Microsoft’s nascent Windows Holographic “mixed-reality” game/experience platform.
According to Unity, the new codeless IAP API in 5.5 should make it easier for devs to integrate in-game purchasing systems that work across multiple storefronts: the Apple App store, Google Play, Amazon, Samsung, the Windows Store and the Tizen Store, with support for Asia’s Xiaomi and Cloud Moolah storefronts coming in the near future.
Unity 5.5’s support for Windows Holographic is also interesting because it should make things easier for devs who want to prototype games and experiences for the platform. According to Unity’s documentation, devs on 5.5 can now use the new Holographic Emulation feature to design, debug and iterate Holographic experiences in the Unity editor without having to build and load them onto an actual (pictured) HoloLens headset.
For more details on what’s new with the stable release of Unity 5.5, head over to the Unity blog.