because-why-not.com

What It Is

Because Why Not provides WebRTC Video Chat / Network libraries for Unity, mainly used to add real-time audio/video calls and WebRTC data channel communication to Unity projects. The documentation shows long-term maintenance around WebRTC, Unity LTS, Unity 6, Android SDK/NDK, iOS SDK, and WebGL compatibility. Its positioning is closer to a low-level Unity real-time communication plugin than a ready-to-use cloud communications service.

Core Capabilities

Feature-wise, it covers ICall calls, data sending, dynamic media connections, StopListening to block new connections, ConnectionId events, raw PCM audio reception, custom AudioInput, Java-side VideoInput, custom cameras, screen capture, Web Audio API, spatial audio panning, RequestStats statistics, and more. It supports Unity/C#, while also involving native C++ WebRTC, a Node.js signaling server, WebGL JavaScript, Android Java, and a Python data channel example. Platform coverage includes Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux x64, WebGL, and testing references for HoloLens/Vision OS, so the overall reach is broad.

Pricing and Deployment

Pricing information is incomplete. The FAQ states that there are no additional fees for using the software itself, but newer versions are distributed via the Unity Asset Store, and the actual purchase price is not shown in the main text. Production environments should not rely on the default test server. In most cases, you need to self-host a Node.js signaling server and deploy STUN/TURN according to network quality requirements; TURN traffic costs are your own responsibility. The signaling server source code or standalone repository awrtc_signaling is mentioned and can be self-hosted, while coturn is recommended for STUN/TURN.

Pros and Cons

Its strengths are comprehensive low-level capabilities, detailed changelogs, many examples, and documentation that explains real-world issues such as NAT, ICE, WSS, Android/iOS configuration, and data chunking in practical detail. The downsides are a steep learning curve overall, and many features are still experimental or in testing. The conferencing feature has previously been marked as unsuitable for production. Platform compatibility requirements are also fragmented, so Unity or mobile SDK upgrades require careful configuration. Commercial licensing, pricing, and whether the plugin itself is open source are also not very clear.

Who It’s For and Access from China

It is best suited for teams familiar with Unity, WebRTC, and server deployment, for use cases such as in-game voice/video, remote collaboration, robot control, or custom P2P data communication. It is less suitable for teams that want a ready-to-buy, maintenance-free RTC cloud service. Access from China requires caution: the documentation explicitly notes that Google STUN is unavailable in China and warns of possible connection or latency issues there. Therefore, it is advisable to use self-hosted STUN/TURN servers that are reachable from within China, or consider alternatives such as Agora, Tencent Cloud TRTC, 声网, or LiveKit.