Waves is bringing perpetual plugin licenses back after dissatisfied users give feedback
Waves has doubled back on its decision to remove perpetual plugin licenses from its product offering.
Waves Audio has responded to online feedback from its users after announcing their new business model, and the developer has doubled back on its decision to remove the option for users to buy perpetual licenses for its plugins.
Waves Audio reinstating perpetual licenses for its plugins
The developer announced yesterday that their working to reverse their decision to remove perpetual plugin licenses from their product offering. This week, the company launched Waves Creative Access, its new plugin subscription model, while removing the opportunity for users to buy perpetual licenses.
Meanwhile, Waves announced that current owners of any Waves plugin will not have access to future updates of those plugins. This was met with feedback that was as you might expect. As a result, Waves is working to add perpetual licenses to its product offering which will be available alongside Waves Creative Access.
“Following your feedback, we are bringing back the option to purchase and update perpetual Waves plugin and bundle licenses, side-by-side with the new Waves Creative Access subscriptions,” their website reads. “We are working to make perpetual licenses available to you again as quickly as possible.”
After the announcement, reactions on Twitter have been mixed. MusicRadar notes a number of responses to Waves announcement, including Twitter user Matt Cavanaugh response: “Good move, thank you for listening to all the feedback. I’ll admit, my trust in Waves is a little shakier after all this, but the effort is seen and appreciated.”
Meanwhile, other responses haven’t been so commending. In fact, some Twitter users believe that Waves should offer a free product, not least a further explanation. Twitter user Wow+Flutter responded “A free plug-in as an apology would be a decent response to the distress caused”.
Find an announcement from Waves’s CTO and co-founder Meir Shashoua below.
Dear Waves community,
Over the past few days, many of you have expressed concerns about our decision to discontinue perpetual plugin licenses and our move to an exclusive plugin subscription model. I would like to start by apologizing for the frustration we have caused many of you, our loyal customers. We understand that our move was sudden and disruptive, and did not sufficiently take into consideration your needs, wishes, and preferences. We are genuinely sorry for the distress it has caused.
After respectfully listening to your concerns, I want to share with you that we are bringing back the perpetual plugin license model, side-by-side with the new subscriptions. You will again be able to get plugins as perpetual licenses, just as before.
In addition, those of you who already own perpetual licenses will once again be able to update your plugins and receive a second license via the Waves Update Plan—again, just as before. This option, too, will be available alongside and independently of the subscription program.
We are currently putting all our efforts into making perpetual licenses available to you again, as quickly as possible. In the meantime, you can keep up-to-date on this webpage, where we will post real-time updates as they are available.
I would like you to know that we are committed to you, our users. We listened to your feedback, and we will continue to listen to you. Waves is a company filled with users and creators, just like you, and we are all as passionate about the products as you are. With this in mind, we will strive to find the way to make things right by you, and hopefully regain your trust.
Thank you for your feedback and continued support—I wish you all the best,
Meir Shashoua
CTO and Co-Founder
Waves Audio