I just received a mail from a former reseller (where I am luckily still on the mailing list), warning me of a hefty price increase for Softimage and the Gold Subscription starting on the first of August. I haven't been able to dig up any confirmation of this. So could someone please confirm this?
(Or better yet, officially deny it ).
The numbers (which I left out of this mail, as I haven't been able to confirm them yet)
I got in the mail were quite shocking to me...
(but I am merely a hobbyist on a tight budget).

Someone posted the same thing to the mailing list.

It looked like about a 30% price increase.

To me, that's enough to start looking at other options.

-PG

The mailing list post (by Thomas Helzle) Paulrus refers to can be found here


Seems like a valid remark...

i have no idea why they did this, i mean it must have a reason...30% is a lot of money.
I'm glad i've bought when it was cheap at this point..but still i dont understand what is happening, and mostly why.

funny thing is - what's the alternative? All I can think of is Lightwave for a main app and Houdini for effects.

I absolutely won't buy another AD product after this.

IF i will ever feel the need to switch i will go probably Modo, but its not anytime soon.

Here is the mail I got from my reseller - sorry, german:
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Jetzt upgraden und 40%* Rabatt erhalten

Autodesk passt den Preis von Softimage zum 01. August 2011 an.

Die Softimage 2012 SLM kommt damit auf 3.300,00 € netto statt der bisherigen 2.305,00 € netto.

Die Gold Subscription wird ebenfalls angepasst auf 900,00 € netto.

TIPP:
Die Softimage Subscription vor dem 1. August auf bis zu drei Jahre erneuern und neben den aktuellen Preis von 615 € netto 10% Extra-Rabatt sichern.

WICHTIG:
Ab diesem Termin erlaubt Autodesk ebenfalls das Crossgrade zwischen den M&E Produkten 3ds Max, Maya, Softimage und MotionBuilder. Dies gilt nur für Kunden auf der aktuelle Version 2012.


Nur noch bis zum 15. Juli läuft die "Get Current" Promotion von Autodesk.
Jetzt also schnell auf 2012 Upgraden und 40% sparen.

Neu und besonders attraktiv ist das „Get Current“ Angebot für Kunden auf älteren Software Versionen. Auf den Legacy Preis, der ja schon rabattiert ist, gibt es ebenfalls 40% bzw. 30%, abhängig davon, ob mit oder ohne Subscription aktualisiert wird.
Gültig bis 15.07.2012.

Subscription Renewal Late Fee Waiver
Kunden können noch bis zum 15.Juli 2011 abgelaufene Verträge ohne Late Renewal Fee aktivieren, erhalten gegebenenfalls das Upgrade auf die aktuelle Version.

Upgrade von 3ds Max 2012, Maya 2012 und Softimage 2012 auf die Entertainment Creation Premium Suite für € 1.650,00 netto plus kostenfrei Übernahme der bestehenden Subscription Laufzeit. Auch hier endet die Promo zum 15.07.11.

Mehr Infos zu den Autodesk Promotions und Produkten erhalten Sie bei Ihrem Ansprechpartner
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Those prices are without VAT.

Cheers,

Thomas

hmm why would they do that...although here xsi is almost 2x cheaper than max (~~5000e vs 3000euro~with subscription, buying from middle men)

@origin - Well, it's not as much the price itself that hurts (although it does me as a mere hobbyist), it's the steep percentage increase (about 50% for Softimage SLM and about 30% for Subscription Gold) and the ridiculous short-notice. And the fact that this info has to come from one German reseller (my own current reseller, for instance, hasn't yet sent me anything), while Softimage - as usual - refuses to comment on grounds of "talk to your reseller" (Mailing List), doesn't help either...

("Slightly") cynical remark, (I couldn't resist): At least now I understand Jason Brynford-Jones' need for a "happy, happy, joy, joy" [*] thread at the Mailing List a little better...

[*] a "Ren & Stimpy" reference...

Maybe they preparing something huge for xsi 2013