[Fixed in 4.4] Weird bug: latest "Spectral Suite" update not included in upgrade plan

[Izoptic]

I’m not in it for Phaser+ or Convolution. I have other plugins. I’m here for the utilities. This does not feel “add on” to me at all … it feels core to bitwig’s innovative spirit.

Yes, that's the key issue!

If this was some super-specialized content only a few people have use for we wouldn't be seeing this kind of backlash. But Spectral Suite is exactly the thing long-time users expect to get from their renewal plans, as it provides clean, well-designed utility devices people can use to build all kinds of cool stuff. In other words, exactly what Bitwig is known for and why people love the product. Releasing this kind of content as a paywalled extra outside of the renewal plan just does not compute.

My plan is also good until well into 2023 but I surely will be watching Bitwig's next steps very closely before I even consider renewing.

[octobird]

Phew...it's really interesting that this whole thing causes so much anger. I'm personally pretty okay with this as I have my own way of dealing with subscription updates. With it's existing model Bitwig is developing rapidly fast. All the stuff I've got within the last year would take other software companies like Ableton ages. This way you can always let your subscription run out and wait for the next big thing that acually boosts your workflow and jump back on boat. And I did so and got a pretty okay deal for another year + the spectral suite for 200 bucks.

I absoloutly hate subscription model...but still...I have to admit that Bitwig is doing it in a way that works for me. Because you still have a perfectly working DAW even if you pause your subscription for a while.

[ralfrobert]

What I did: Picked up a second hand license at a good price. And I will utilize it as the great playground that it is. The ten months of plan that I got are enough time to see what's going on. And time to play around and create something.

[skiltrip]

My gut reaction, like many people, was ... screw this, i'm out, this is BS, blah blah blah.

I still feel a bit angry about this move. And it's not about this specific add-on plugin. I don't necessarily want it, though if it came with it, I'd surely mess with it and put it to use, like I've done with many other parts of Bitwig that were alien to me upon first opening them.

But I'd miss having Bitwig. My main DAW is still Studio One. I'm sort of old school, formerly with Pro Tools, so linear DAWs make the most sense to me. But when I'm burned out and I want to experiment, Bitwig is a frickin playground for music nerds. Nothing else like it. I've demo'd Ableton Live. I felt like it was stiff and anemic in comparison. Very little fun factor compared to Bitwig.

So, I'll just stay at 4.3.8 and see how this all plays out. I can easily just move passed this one and pretend it didn't happen, because like I said, this Spectral Suite thing is nothing to me. Life can very easily go on without it. I'm just wary of this becoming a new pattern with Bitwig. A pattern where all the "lesser" updates come with the paid update plan, but the bigger, fancier stuff, the stuff they'll deem "speciality" or "niche" will be behind an additional paywall. Maybe I'll just stick it out till the end of the 4.x era and stay right there if things have gone in an unsavory direction.

The short of it is though, I'm not leaving great software because of this, but I may not continue to contribute to it going forward. It's really all up to the folks at Bitwig and how they wanna play it.

[ozonepaul]

Ok, I’ve had several hours away, took a deep breath and here’s where I am at personally …
.... I have a year left on my plan ....The point is that I don’t need to decide anything today... will make a rational decision for myself when I actually need to

I envy you:

upgrade plan.JPG

[Alchemedia]

[UncleAge]

I know my opinion will be in the minority on this issue however, I see a place for this business model. In fact I prefer things a bit a-la-carte. Don't get me wrong I completely understand the outrage and disappointment voiced in this thread. With that said it seems to me it was more of a communication issue than anything else.

Coding takes a bit of time, no? So during that last 6 months while these "Add-ons" were getting finalized it seems as though the company could have announced a separate marketplace for such things at the BWS website. This would have at least allowed the very supportive (up until now) customer base to have some feedback long before the "Add-ons" were out and for sale.

Now I too am a bit taken back by the sudden nature of this. And my subscription is up in a few days. Will I renew it then? No. The business model has changed and so will my renewal events. In the past I did so on my anniversary to more or less support the good folk at BW. Now things have changed a bit. I'll renew once I see enough there as a significant upgrade/update to what I have already shelled out for. And I am not doing it out of protest as much as I am doing it out of caution. My current BWS license does what I need as is. I like BWS and will continue to support it.
However, I will update it once I see a good reason to. No more blind shelling out of money in hopes of getting something in return. I probably should have done it this way from the get-go.

[musikarldererste]

thanks so much to all
i was afraid that everyone would accept it
but its okay to make money but not in this way

[FakeNatty]

Though we all (except maybe a few prodigies) dislike this move by Bitwig, Bitwig will find its way out of this trouble.

Bitwig is lucky to make such a big mistake instead of an elusive one that just slowly eats away its business over the years. Had this add on release been less ridiculous, Bitwig might just slowly die out. But because the mistake was so huge, it makes the lesson clear to Bitwig

It's a quick and easy way to learn about some potentially business-ending decisions.

[musikarldererste]

Though we all (except maybe a few prodigies) dislike this move by Bitwig, Bitwig will find its way out of this trouble.

Bitwig is lucky to make such a big mistake instead of an elusive one that just slowly eats away its business over the years. Had this add on release been less ridiculous, Bitwig might just slowly die out. But because the mistake was so huge, it makes the lesson clear to Bitwig

It's a quick and easy way to learn about some potentially business-ending decisions.

they will do nothing
its over , look around many switch ,
and this move from bitwig was just the beginning
and when they introduce their bigger updateplan tier its complety over

[skiltrip]

The fact that the paid update remains front and center on their website tells me they have no plan to "fix" anything they've done. This can only go one of these directions...

1.) sorry 'bout this one folks. our bad. it won't happen again. Everything is included from here on out. (then throw in a $29 sale in the future to allow everyone to get up to snuff but not piss off people that paid the $79).

2.) yup, we screwed this one up. refunds for everyone that paid for it, and now it's free, and so is everything else. we're still cool right?

3.) corporate talking points, rising costs, R&D, blah blah blah. take it and like it. At least we're not Avid.

4.) more thoughtful explanation, R&D, blah blah blah. take it and like it. At least we're not Avid.

[hyperdeath666]

Also acceptable (though not my favorite) would be 5) This is now free if you have an active upgrade plan. Just a heads up that in the future, upgrade plans won't necessarily cover everything.

I think this is a bad idea because it basically removes any incentive to purchase an upgrade plan. But at least it's honest.

[iowastate89]

In my multiverse of reality, I’d like to get this free for subscribers, and they can also sell it as a plug-in for everyone else. Use it as a marketing tool for new users while keeping current base fat and happy. I’ll take my marketing MBA now please

[DazzW]

Which is worse?

1. I've been lecturing my son about pre-ordering games and trusting he'll get his money's worth.
2. I gave one of his friends my Ableton 11 licence because I was sure Bitwig and me would be BFFs.
3. I paid Bitwig to work on products to sell to me.

[zfigz]

initially, i was a bit shocked / confused when i did my normal check of bitwig profile and saw there was an update only to discover that said update cost money. no where does it say here, Changes in Bitwig Studio 4.3.9, you have to pay for this new upgrade and/or why there's now suddenly an "add-on price."

i agree with others that the main issue here is a lack of communication. there should have been an announcement that let everyone know "hey, we've got these really cool add-on devices that y'all will love, but they'll come with an additional cost all in favor of making bitwig as a whole better / stronger." but, they didn't. either their marketing person is completely daft or just doesn't give a shit what kinda backlash could have arose from a decision like this with zero communication.

honestly, and maybe this is a terrible / greedy idea on my part, i think they ought to give this out as a freebie to current owners of bitwig with maybe a window of a week or so for others to jump onto the bandwagon before turning this into an actual thing as a sort of apology and intention moving forward to be more transparent with their users when decisions like these are marinating in the pipelines. then at least those that have been on the bandwagon for years would feel appreciated...but again, maybe i'm just being greedy ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.