Archive notice: This article was originally published on September 4, 2013. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
First of all: It is not the case that 2D games could not previously be developed with the Unity Engine. Examples included BattleHeart, Tumbledrop, Ski Safari, Bad Piggies and Year Walk. The point is simply that Unity was mainly geared toward 3D rendering, and developing 2D games was possible but somewhat more cumbersome.
Unity has now responded to this and will integrate native 2D tools into the new engine that support a 2D workflow. Features include: a new Sprite type with an integrated editor that automatically cuts out 2D graphics, an improved Animation window with a dope-sheet-style view and faster parameter animation, integration of the Animator for quickly generating 2D animated figures, and an integrated 2D physics engine with rigid bodies, colliders and joints.
The 2D development is currently in beta, but what the manufacturer plans is explained in this video. With this 2D workflow, Unity is also targeting indie game developers, matching the new Unity Game platform.
