Who do you think is going to attempt Subscription-Only next?

[BBFG#]

iZotope

[AdvancedFollower]

The younger audience actually likes the subscription model in a sense, as it makes it easier for them to get a bunch of tools that are being used by industry professionals, at an affordable price.

A lot of the industry classics in the plugin world have often been heavily discounted by 80% or more. Waves of course, as well as PA, iZotope and others. Even UAD are already doing "50% off" sales and they just went native weeks ago. I'd give it another year at most before they start selling their plugins for $29.99 each.

Rent to own is great in principle, but when you see that $299 product being on "sale" for $49.99 while you still have $150 to pay on your rent-to-own plan, it suddenly doesn't feel as appealing.

[Tronam]

I could see one of the large sample library companies like Spitfire Audio or Orchestral Tools going subscription as an option. I’m surprised after all these years that no other company besides EastWest back in 2015 has offered a competitive alternative to ComposerCloud.

[i need Help]

Looking into my crystal ball:

All the major DAWs join forces and go subscription based, or as an alternative offer an ad-based version.

You click to open an insert plugin but are greeted with an overlay ad "Limited time sales on Waves plugs!" and gotta wait 5 seconds before closing it.

[robotmonkey]

ikm.

Kind a surprising that Waves tried it before IK. They already have been showing microtransactions to everything. Subscription only would have been a logical next step.

[hotmitts]

ikm.

Kind a surprising that Waves tried it before IK. They already have been showing microtransactions to everything. Subscription only would have been a logical next step.

Got a survey from IKM asking about subscription (I ticked the 'GFY' option of course)

[martiu]

FabFilter, Izotope

[cryophonik]

Cakewalk by Bandlab

It'll be free, though. They'll just charge you $0.00/month or discounted to $0.00/year if you pay annually.

[SHall1000]

I remember some complaints here that a dev was asking about subscription models in a survey recently without an option for none. Can’t remember who - Arturia, Softube maybe?

[Jolaff]

Does Reason tried to be subscription only at the beginning ?

[waltercruz]

companies that I could see trying: IK, Native, izotope. But honestly, I don't think that anyone will be crazy enough to try this in the near future.

[j wazza]

tesco

izotope and IK would do that. Although izotope prefer discontinuing and re-releasing things as new products or paid upgrades. Maybe a widely used synth like serum could become sub only. I hope none of them do, and the reaction to waves should be a deterrent. Subs should be a choice, I only want to buy licenses. The only subs I sometimes use are splice and loopcloud but you get to keep the samples.

[MogwaiBoy]

Bottom line: Consumers want more choice, not less choice. What Waves did was take away choice.

I'd like to see more Rent-To-Own options in the plugin industry.

Choice. Choice is good.

[musicproducerdee]

After the waves fiasco? no one.

One upon a time I thought NI could pull it, but they have stopped being innovative, they just spit out sample libraries now.

true that, mostly just play series instruments, that I couldn't bother with..

[i need Help]

Does Reason tried to be subscription only at the beginning ?

I don’t think they did. What they did was discontinue the “Suite” version of Reason, and said “You can do subscription or you can still purchase outright (perpetual license).”

The kick in the teeth was if you wanted to purchase perpetual licenses for everything previously available in the Reason Suite version that cost $599, it would now cost you almost $1800.

I’m waiting to see if Waves does this, and once they bring back the ability to purchase plugins with a perpetual license only offers them at the full MSRP.

If so, now you’re paying several hundreds of dollars for a plugin that before all this subscription drama was effectively like $30-70 bucks because of their nonstop sales they had, which I’m assuming are probably a thing of the past.

They technically brought the option back, it’s just orders of magnitude more expensive now as a way to basically twist/break your arm into going the route they want you to go; subscription.