[update] Just to make it clear, guys, this is an April Fool's Day joke. Click on the link at the end of this article, which explains a lot. I don't want to cause trouble to anyone: just thought it would be pretty straightforward to see an absurd news like this on April 1st. Below is the text, just for historical reasons. [/update]
After some bad financial results related to current world crisis and an "offensive" offer by Autodesk, the German company Maxon - responsible for 3D applications such as Cinema 4D and BodyPaint 3D - has made a shocking announcement to the CG market: it will open its products' source code and join forces with Blender Foundation. Paul Babb - Maxon's CEO - explained that this decision is based on deep market research and will change the face of the CG community.
"After Autodesk bought Softimage we faced a situation where it was impossible to compete with a company which controls about 70% of the CG market", said Babb. "We've following closely the development and business model of Blender Foundation and found it to be the only viable alternative to stay alive and fresh", concluded the CEO in the press conference held at Maxon headquarters in Friedrichsdorf, Germany.
According to Babb, Autodesk had recently made an "offensive" offer to buy Maxon and its products: "we are proud of always bringing fresh and innovative ideas with our products, and it would be sad if they had the same end of Maya or XSI after their companies got acquired by Autodesk". Babb and Blender Foundation's chairman, Ton Roosendaal, signed the document that defines the terms of the merger which will, ultimately, give shape to a company with a new name. "We will rely in the community even in the stage of choosing a new name", stated Roosendaal.
"It's not about a game of buying and selling companies, it's about a rich exchange of knowledge that will give a new shape to the way people think of 3D software", said Roosendaal. He also spoke about how the partnership aims to bring a new program that will join the best features of each application: "Currently, Blender and Cinema 4D have each its own set of 'state of the art' features that will be joined to bring users the most advanced 3D application ever conceived", said Roosendaal without hiding his excitement. The goal is to make "the ultimate and most powerful" 3D application to become the industry standard in 3 years.
The new business model will rely in paid costumer support and documentation, along with the profits from new community-based movies as made popular by Blender Foundation.
"Open source is not the future of CG anymore. It's already the present", concluded Paul Babb.
I knew this was going to happen sooner or later. I wonder if the BFCT certificates will still be valid for new Blender+Cinema4D ...
YOU WISH!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
SIT AND WAIT!
You almost got me, wow first blendernation I knew that one, but a second joke, congrats this years was vrery dificult.
This wouldn't have anything to do with it being April 1st? Well I've just heard from phuffy the doy that Microsoft is buying the US goverment and tomorrow is officially "peace to the world" holiday so no work then!
I like the part about Ton not hiding his excitement. The link to read more is also a nice touch.
I'll wait for the day when we look back at this post and have our jaws drop realizing it really happened.
Aww... I actually hoped this would happen. Blender and Cinema 4D merging would revolutionize 3D animation... It would bring about the end of the world!
I can assure all of you this is just a bad joke. Maxon has been consistently growing and thriving for over 20 years. Last year, an Adobe poll of After Effects users, showed that CINEMA 4D was the #1 choice among motion graphics users - more then twice the next 3D package.
Regards,
Paul Babb
President/CEO MAXON USA
Awe, man... :-(
CINEMA 4D ROCKS!!!
BLENDER SUX!!!
@Paul Babb
I have just made a search on the IP address saved from your comment, and it REALLY seems you are from Maxon.
This post is obvioulsly a joke. If it is a bad one, I can't tell. :)
Just a tip: click on the link at the end of the text, called "Read more on the merger". It points to a Wikipedia article on April Fools' Day - which makes it VERY clear that this is just a joke.
You had me for a few hours. Jerks. I was really excited about it and almost posted in a few blogs.
Haha! Great work.
Awesome... so professionally written... I'm proud of you Virgílio.
For me it's like getting an email from Steve Jobs or Bill Gates...
Quem incomoda também tem poder! Que Google que nada.
APRIL 1ST!!!!!
@Paul Babb
dear Paul, your company and products suck..
please stop being a faggot and work on making them better..
Regards,
Mark Wineberg
Hey, too bad Bart pulled your post off blendernation, I thought it was cool and I can't see this having any more than a very temporary effect. If someone was really worried, they'd surely try to get in touch with Maxon themselves.
very funny aprils fools mate and mark wineberg there isnt any need for personal attacks like that. i make a living from cinema 4d and i can assure you it doesnt suck :)
Was that guy REALLY from Maxon??? And he DIDN'T understand the joke!!! Man, this is the best april fool in years!
HAHAHAHA you got a message from Paul himself ??!!! Too bad BN got scared... your joke rocks.
That would be pretty cool if it actually happened
Wow, you almost had me! LOL I have to remember not to believe anything I read on the internet today...