LightWave Digital acquires LightWave - (A New Hope for SI?)

[Lone Deranger]

So it turns out, Lightwave enthousiast and former Darkside studio boss Andrew Bishop has acquired the software from current owner Vizrt, in a deal closed on the 28th of April 2023.

The move should see development of LightWave restart, following more than two years of inactivity, with LightWave Digital taking over the existing product website, and its sales and support channels.
The existing LightWave website, product support channels and reseller network will also transfer to LightWave Digital, with “no change for existing license holders [expected] as a result”.

The new team is headed by industry veteran Andrew Bishop, previously co-owner of LightWave-using VFX studio Darkside and its offshoots, and also previously responsible for the distribution of LightWave in the UK.

https://www.cgchannel.com/2023/04/light ... new-owner/

I hope this can inspire the diehard SoftImage/XSI community to not give up hope of ever achieving something similar, should AD ever decide a sell-off of their M&E IP's.

[gaboraa]

Hey there,

While this may seem like a positive development for Lightwave enthusiasts, it's important to note that this is not the same situation as SoftImage. Lightwave was not owned by a major player in the industry like Autodesk. I know that there are many diehard SoftImage/XSI users out there who are hoping for a similar acquisition but for me, it is very unlikely to happen.

[luceric]

This reminds me of the two enthusiasts who bought Electric Image from their owner back in 2009 hoping to continue it. Former employees had also bought and tried to restart Mirai around those years. It both cases it worked for a couple of years and then quietly died.

[Lone Deranger]

This reminds me of the two enthusiasts who bought Electric Image from their owner back in 2009 hoping to continue it. Former employees had also bought and tried to restart Mirai around those years. It both cases it worked for a couple of years and then quietly died.

Oh that's right. I had forgotten about those initiatives.
So yeah, the odds are stacked against them, for sure. Still, it's better to try and at least have a chance at success than not to try at all.

[matevil]

I found it very crazy that the system for lighting is a splitter and not inside the same software... I asked in the discord if they want to change that but no way. So waiting for more news

[kiwimation]

There is a youtube video on discord where they state that merging Modeler and layout will "probably" not happen. To me that makes Lightwave dead before it starts (Again)