The end of VST2

[SampleScience]

Steinberg will cease VST2 support for their software: https://helpcenter.steinberg.de/hc/en-u ... 9561018258?

They recommend switching to VST3. I wonder if other DAW companies will follow this decision for their own DAW.

[MirkoVanHauten]

Since many of the other devs were already able to port their VST2 products to native Apple silicon (something Steinberg, the VST2 mother, wasn't able to do), I see no reason why DAWs would drop support for it. They'd be "more advanced" than Steinberg then, which could be a selling point also. DAW/plugin devs also didn't care to drop support for it the past 10 years, with alternatives available

[chk071]

I wonder if other DAW companies will follow this decision for their own DAW.

Probably. But, it will surely take some time. The last will be Reaper, for sure. Maybe they'll even support VST2 forever.

As for the argument of being "more advanced": VST3 is the successor, so, that would be rather a regression. Apart from that, at some point, developers will simply drop VST2, like 32-bit versions of their plugins. If more and more DAW's only support VST3, it won't make sense to support VST2 anymore.

[MirkoVanHauten]

There's no point in dropping it, since it just works. It has the last decade. It's obviously less hassle to support (compared to VST3) and there's no need in fixing the already existing VST2 adapters. The support if Apple silicon shows how easy it is to maintain. It's not like there are technical reasons to drop it, which is why the 32bit comparison is a bit off. The only "reason" to drop it is: there's a successor. But that's a lame reason I think. If VST3 would be the thing Steinberg thinks it is, it would have been adapted with praise by devs 10 years ago...

[chk071]

The only "reason" to drop it is: there's a successor.

Yes, some developers said that. It's not what Steinberg say or think. As it is their format, and their DAW, which will drop VST2 in future versions, I think they're perfectly entitled to that position, even if some don't like it. Those are entitled to an opinion as well, and entitled to use alternative software, if they don't like it.

There's no point in dropping it, since it just works.

I'm afraid that that has never been an argument. Many thing have just worked, yet they were dropped, for the one reason or the other.

Anyway, I don't think that kind of discussion will lead anywhere. Fact is that more and more developers develop VST3's. Which is good, especially when the DAW with one of the biggest market share will drop VST2 at some point.

[kritikon]

Ataris just worked. Ford Model Ts just worked. Didn't stop things changing and never will. I'm in no hurry to go to Win11 but I know at some point I'll upgrade - shit, by the time I do it might be time to go to Win12 anyway. I won't have a choice cos when I eventually need to buy a new PC, laptop or whatever...it's going to have the latest OS, not an option of an old one and there will be some software that inevitably doesn't work on the old OS. But I'll do it, we all will. There are always some troglodites and they often have good reasons for holding out, but no point banging your head against the "I don't want VST3" wall. I don't understand why so many people give themselves so much pain hanging on to the past. I don't buy the latest gizmo for the sake of it, but when I do buy - I buy new mostly, not old. And I just have to learn how to use it, end of. I'm a dick if I don't.

[AnX]

As long as devs have a vst2 licence, vst2 will remain

[kritikon]

And...yeah there are plenty of plugins that are still only VST2. BUT...I generally don't buy that much s/w but recently I have as I've been getting back into music in a big way after a break. I haven't bought a single one that even has only VST2 options. Some of the older ones still are but they are rare and they will go to VST3 or they will lose their sales. TBH I don't know why anyone even expects s/w to still be useable after 10yrs as is. The whole s/w world never worked that way. Your 10 yr old PC will still work on Win 7 orwhatever but it'll be frozen in time with only the s/w of that time workable on it (mostly). OK if that's all you need I suppose, but silly whining about it.

[kritikon]

As long as devs have a vst2 licence, vst2 will remain

Yeah, but those devs are going to be fewer and fewer as time goes by. And eventually their business will go tits up if they continue that route.

[AnX]

As long as devs have a vst2 licence, vst2 will remain

Yeah, but those devs are going to be fewer and fewer as time goes by. And eventually their business will go tits up if they continue that route.

Not really, most produce vst2 and vst3 currently, and have for some time (along with all the other formats)

Of course, when the next big thing, clap, comes along, all this will be moot

[hihat]

does anyone know how long bitwig will continue to support VST 2. maybe then the licensing of steinberg for vst2 will end!? could it be that someone releases some kind of jbridge for vst2. It would be a shame about all the old vst2 plugins that are even no longer updated anyway, but can still produce nice sounds

[Hink]

viewtopic.php?p=8329180#p8329180

this the third thread already on this subject, I deleted one already and I will merge this with the one in the link in a few. (want people to read this because this post wont make the trip with the rest)