Maxon: Difference between revisions
New article: Maxon Company page covering subscription licensing controversies and product discontinuations (via pipeline) |
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{{#seo:description=Maxon eliminates perpetual licenses for acquired products including ZBrush, Red Giant, and Forger, forcing subscriptions and locking users out of | {{#seo:description=Maxon eliminates perpetual licenses for acquired products including ZBrush, Red Giant, and Forger, forcing subscriptions and locking users out of proprietary files.}} | ||
{{CompanyCargo | {{CompanyCargo | ||
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* Maxon acquired Pixologic, the developer of ZBrush, in December 2021.<ref name="zbrush-faq" /> In November 2023, Maxon released ZBrush 2024 exclusively via subscription at $39 per month or $359 per year, eliminating perpetual licenses that Pixologic had previously sold with free feature upgrades.<ref name="zbrush2024-cgchannel" /> | * Maxon acquired Pixologic, the developer of ZBrush, in December 2021.<ref name="zbrush-faq" /> In November 2023, Maxon released ZBrush 2024 exclusively via subscription at $39 per month or $359 per year, eliminating perpetual licenses that Pixologic had previously sold with free feature upgrades.<ref name="zbrush2024-cgchannel" /> | ||
* In September 2021, Maxon discontinued perpetual licenses for [[Red Giant]] plugin suites without advance announcement, leaving only subscription options for new versions of Trapcode Suite, VFX Suite, and Magic Bullet Suite.<ref name="redgiant-cgchannel">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cgchannel.com/2021/09/maxon-ends-perpetual-licences-of-red-giant-products/ |title=Maxon ends perpetual licences of Red Giant products |date=2021-09-17 |website=CG Channel |access-date=2026-05-13}}</ref> | * In September 2021, Maxon discontinued perpetual licenses for [[Red Giant]] plugin suites without advance announcement, leaving only subscription options for new versions of Trapcode Suite, VFX Suite, and Magic Bullet Suite.<ref name="redgiant-cgchannel">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cgchannel.com/2021/09/maxon-ends-perpetual-licences-of-red-giant-products/ |title=Maxon ends perpetual licences of Red Giant products |date=2021-09-17 |website=CG Channel |access-date=2026-05-13}}</ref> | ||
== Incidents == | == Incidents == | ||
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In November 2023, Maxon released ZBrush 2024. The release was available exclusively via subscription. Perpetual licenses were no longer offered for the new version, and holders of existing perpetual licenses could not upgrade to ZBrush 2024.<ref name="zbrush2024-cgchannel" /> Subscription pricing was set at $39 per month or $359 per year.<ref name="zbrush2024-cgchannel" /> New features introduced in ZBrush 2024, including the Repeat to Similar system and Cinema 4D noise integrations, were available only to subscribers.<ref name="zbrush2024-cgchannel" /> | In November 2023, Maxon released ZBrush 2024. The release was available exclusively via subscription. Perpetual licenses were no longer offered for the new version, and holders of existing perpetual licenses could not upgrade to ZBrush 2024.<ref name="zbrush2024-cgchannel" /> Subscription pricing was set at $39 per month or $359 per year.<ref name="zbrush2024-cgchannel" /> New features introduced in ZBrush 2024, including the Repeat to Similar system and Cinema 4D noise integrations, were available only to subscribers.<ref name="zbrush2024-cgchannel" /> | ||
=== Red Giant | === Discontinuation of sale of perpetual licenses for Red Giant === | ||
Maxon merged with Red Giant, a developer of visual effects and color grading plugins. The merger added Trapcode Suite, VFX Suite, Magic Bullet Suite, Universe, and PluralEyes to Maxon's product portfolio.<ref name="redgiant-cgchannel" /> | Maxon merged with Red Giant, a developer of visual effects and color grading plugins. The merger added Trapcode Suite, VFX Suite, Magic Bullet Suite, Universe, and PluralEyes to Maxon's product portfolio.<ref name="redgiant-cgchannel" /> | ||
In September 2021, Maxon discontinued perpetual licenses for Trapcode Suite, VFX Suite, and Magic Bullet Suite without advance announcement. CG Channel reported that the change was only apparent when perpetual license purchase options vanished from the Maxon online store. When contacted, Maxon confirmed that it had "decided to not offer a perpetual version of the individual suites."<ref name="redgiant-cgchannel" /> Perpetual licenses of the previous versions remained available for $999, but the latest versions were accessible only via Red Giant Complete subscriptions at $79 per month or $599 per year, or via Maxon One subscriptions at $149 per month or $1,199 per year.<ref name="redgiant-cgchannel | In September 2021, Maxon discontinued the sale of perpetual licenses for Trapcode Suite, VFX Suite, and Magic Bullet Suite without advance announcement. CG Channel reported that the change was only apparent when perpetual license purchase options vanished from the Maxon online store. When contacted, Maxon confirmed that it had "decided to not offer a perpetual version of the individual suites."<ref name="redgiant-cgchannel" /> Perpetual licenses of the previous versions remained available for $999, but the latest versions were accessible only via Red Giant Complete subscriptions at $79 per month or $599 per year, or via Maxon One subscriptions at $149 per month or $1,199 per year.<ref name="redgiant-cgchannel" /> | ||
== Products == | == Products == | ||
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* [[Redshift]] renderer | * [[Redshift]] renderer | ||
* Forger (discontinued September 2025) | * Forger (discontinued September 2025) | ||
* [[Maxon One]] subscription bundle | * [[Maxon One]] subscription bundle | ||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
* [[Digital rights management]] | * [[Digital rights management]] | ||
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{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
[[Category:Maxon]] | [[Category:Maxon]] | ||
[[Category:Software Companies]] | [[Category:Software Companies]] | ||
[[Category:Subscription Licensing]] | [[Category:Subscription Licensing]] | ||
Latest revision as of 13:17, 14 May 2026
| Basic information | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1985 |
| Legal Structure | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Software,3D Modeling,Animation,Visual Effects |
| Also known as | Maxon Computer GmbH |
| Official website | https://maxon.net/ |
Maxon discontinued the iPad sculpting app Forger in September 2025, leaving subscribers unable to export proprietary files when subscriptions lapsed.[1][2] The company has also eliminated perpetual licenses for ZBrush and Red Giant, moving both to subscription-only models.[3][4]
Consumer-impact summary
[edit | edit source]- Maxon acquired Forger in 2021 and discontinued it on September 10, 2025. The app was removed from the App Store, and existing subscribers who let their subscriptions lapse lost the ability to save or export proprietary files.[2] ZBrush for iPad, the replacement Maxon recommended, did not natively support Forger's file format.[5] ZBrush for iPad cost $9.99 per month or $89.99 per year, roughly six times Forger's previous price of $1.99 per month or $14.99 per year.[1]
- Maxon acquired Pixologic, the developer of ZBrush, in December 2021.[6] In November 2023, Maxon released ZBrush 2024 exclusively via subscription at $39 per month or $359 per year, eliminating perpetual licenses that Pixologic had previously sold with free feature upgrades.[3]
- In September 2021, Maxon discontinued perpetual licenses for Red Giant plugin suites without advance announcement, leaving only subscription options for new versions of Trapcode Suite, VFX Suite, and Magic Bullet Suite.[4]
Incidents
[edit | edit source]Maxon Forger discontinuation and subscription file lockout
[edit | edit source]Maxon acquired Forger, an iPad sculpting app originally released in 2011, in March 2021.[7] On September 10, 2025, Maxon placed Forger into what it termed "limited maintenance mode." The app was removed from the App Store, and no new updates or bug fixes were released.[8] Existing subscribers could continue using the app until the end of their current subscription term, but could not renew after September 10, 2025.[8]
The free version of Forger imposed a three-document save limit and disabled all exporting, including sending files to Cinema 4D. According to Maxon's own documentation, files saved while a subscription was active could be opened in the free version, but could not be saved or exported.[2] Forger's native file format was not supported in ZBrush for iPad, the replacement Maxon recommended. Users who did not export their work in .goz or .obj format before their subscription expired would be unable to open their Forger files in ZBrush for iPad or export them to other formats.[5]
ZBrush for iPad cost $9.99 per month or $89.99 per year as of July 2025, compared to Forger's previous price of $1.99 per month or $14.99 per year.[1]
ZBrush perpetual license elimination
[edit | edit source]Maxon finalized its acquisition of Pixologic, the developer of ZBrush, on December 29, 2021.[6] At that time, Maxon altered the end-user license agreement for new perpetual license purchases. Customers who bought perpetual licenses after December 29, 2021, would receive only bug fixes, not free feature upgrades. Customers who purchased perpetual licenses between December 30, 2020 and December 29, 2021 were grandfathered with a one-year update window.[6]
In November 2023, Maxon released ZBrush 2024. The release was available exclusively via subscription. Perpetual licenses were no longer offered for the new version, and holders of existing perpetual licenses could not upgrade to ZBrush 2024.[3] Subscription pricing was set at $39 per month or $359 per year.[3] New features introduced in ZBrush 2024, including the Repeat to Similar system and Cinema 4D noise integrations, were available only to subscribers.[3]
Discontinuation of sale of perpetual licenses for Red Giant
[edit | edit source]Maxon merged with Red Giant, a developer of visual effects and color grading plugins. The merger added Trapcode Suite, VFX Suite, Magic Bullet Suite, Universe, and PluralEyes to Maxon's product portfolio.[4]
In September 2021, Maxon discontinued the sale of perpetual licenses for Trapcode Suite, VFX Suite, and Magic Bullet Suite without advance announcement. CG Channel reported that the change was only apparent when perpetual license purchase options vanished from the Maxon online store. When contacted, Maxon confirmed that it had "decided to not offer a perpetual version of the individual suites."[4] Perpetual licenses of the previous versions remained available for $999, but the latest versions were accessible only via Red Giant Complete subscriptions at $79 per month or $599 per year, or via Maxon One subscriptions at $149 per month or $1,199 per year.[4]
Products
[edit | edit source]- Cinema 4D
- ZBrush
- Red Giant plugin suites (Trapcode Suite, VFX Suite, Magic Bullet Suite, Universe, PluralEyes)
- Redshift renderer
- Forger (discontinued September 2025)
- Maxon One subscription bundle
See also
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Maxon discontinues Forger". CG Channel. 2025-07. Retrieved 2026-05-13.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Licensing - Forger Manual". Maxon. Retrieved 2026-05-13.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "Maxon releases ZBrush 2024". CG Channel. 2023-11-16. Retrieved 2026-05-13.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "Maxon ends perpetual licences of Red Giant products". CG Channel. 2021-09-17. Retrieved 2026-05-13.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Forger End of Sale (EoS) FAQ". Maxon. Retrieved 2026-05-13.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "ZBrush Acquisition FAQ". Maxon. Retrieved 2026-05-13.
- ↑ "Maxon acquires forger". CG Channel. 2021-03. Retrieved 2026-05-13.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Forger Entering Limited Maintenance Mode". Maxon. Retrieved 2026-05-13.