Substance Painter in Creative Cloud: A Shift in Licensing Policy

The recent announcement about the changes to the licensing policy of Adobe's Substance products has sparked concerns among users. However, upon closer inspection, it appears that the shift is not as drastic as initially feared.

For those who may be new to the world of digital art and design, Substance Painter and Designer are popular tools for creating 3D textures and materials. Allegorithmic, the original developer of these products, was acquired by Adobe at the start of this year. Since then, speculation has been rife about potential changes to the licensing model.

In a move that may come as a surprise to some, the Substance products have not been incorporated into Adobe's Creative Cloud subscriptions. Instead, perpetual licenses remain available for Substance Painter and Designer – albeit only via Steam and as the old Indie versions. This means that users can still purchase these products outright, but they will need to do so through the Steam platform.

The change in policy was announced on the Substance forum last month, although it did not receive widespread attention until CGPress brought it to light. When browsing through the product website, users will now only see subscription-based options for the three applications – Substance Painter, Substance Designer, and the new app Substance Alchemist.

However, there is a silver lining for those who have already purchased perpetual licenses or are existing subscribers. Existing renters of Substance Painter and Substance Designer can still exercise their buy-out option, although this will need to be done within the next year. The rent-to-own option has also been discontinued for new users.

In conclusion, while the licensing policy changes may have caused some initial confusion, it appears that Adobe is committed to maintaining a hybrid model that offers both subscription and perpetual licensing options. As always, it's essential for artists and designers to stay informed about the latest developments in their chosen field to ensure they can continue to work effectively with the tools they rely on.

Substance painter in creative cloud