ironsource was the owner and runner of the largest sleazy game ad network, which was unity specific

unity was dying for lack of revenue

The fact that they were struggling for revenue just made the massive spend seem even weirder to me, but I suppose it could make sense if they truly expected to somehow get >4.4 billion back from ad revenue eventually. They also bought Wētā FX for $1.6 billion around the same time and did basically nothing with it.[1]

[1] https://www.fxguide.com/quicktakes/unity-software-with-a-com...

no, unity was dying for low profitability and ads had higher margin

I argued against the acquisition at the time, including against accepting the framing that it was a "merger", and I think everything that's transpired since then has validated my views.

Sadly, I was outnumbered and “it is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it” applied as it always does.

John Riccitiello was a terrible CEO

I think there's non-zero chance this company will go down in flames. I think its only hope at this point is a sufficiently motivated activist shareholder.