Ending software support for earlier generations of Maschine

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We want to let you know that Native Instruments will soon be ending software support for Maschine MK1, Maschine MK2, Maschine Mikro MK1, and Maschine Mikro MK2.

As is often the case with older hardware, we are at a stage with these Maschine products where we can no longer guarantee repairs due to a lack of available components. As operating systems advance there are also limits to the changes we can make to new software without breaking legacy hardware integrations. Retiring these products also means we will be able to put more focus on the development of new Maschine software. 

You will still be able to use your Maschine hardware with Maschine 2 software, which includes Apple Silicon and VST3 support. However, from November 6, 2024 we will no longer be maintaining this hardware and cannot guarantee that it will be supported by future versions of your computer’s operating system. It will also not be compatible with new updates to Maschine software.

We would like to wholeheartedly thank you for your long-lasting commitment to Native Instruments and Maschine controllers. Below, you’ll find a list of FAQs with detailed information on this change.

Your team at NI

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FAQs

How long will my hardware still work? 
We are not removing any existing features from Maschine MK1, Maschine MK2, Maschine Mikro MK1, or Maschine Mikro MK2. You will still be able to use them with the last compatible version of Maschine 2, which has already been updated to support up to macOS Sonoma (including Apple Silicon), Windows, and VST3.

Why has NI decided to retire software support for Maschine MK1, Maschine MK2, Maschine Mikro MK1, and Maschine Mikro MK2?
As operating systems advance and as we work on keeping our software up to date and by adding new features, aging hardware requires an increasing amount of attention. This takes away focus from our development teams and puts limitations on the changes we can make to the software without breaking legacy hardware integrations. As a result, we have decided to retire the earliest versions of Maschine hardware that originally shipped with Maschine 1, so that we can make some bigger changes to Maschine software in the future. 

Can I still receive technical support after product retirement?
We will not be able to offer technical support after November 6, 2024. However, you will still be able to find resources through our community forums, where you may find answers to your questions and solutions from fellow users. Plus our Knowledge Base will be there to help you troubleshoot and resolve common issues.

What about Maschine+?
Maschine+ is not affected by any of these changes.

How long will you continue to support the current Maschine MK3 and Maschine Mikro MK3?
Maschine MK3 and Mikro MK3 are the current generation of our products and we have no plans to end support for them anytime soon.

The affected products are only the MK1 and MK2 generations of Maschine, which were released between 12 and 15 years ago. For an electronic device with desktop computer integration, this is quite a substantial age. And as mentioned, the main reason for us to retire them is to allow our software products and technologies advance to a degree that we could not do whilst still supporting those devices.

Does the decision to retire software support for these products mean the Maschine product line is being discontinued?
No, in fact, this is part of NI’s longer-term commitment to Maschine. Maschine is a complex product from a technical point of view. Technologies and software evolve on a near exponential scale, while hardware products remain in the time capsule of how they were originally built. That introduces certain limitations on what we can do on the software side whilst still supporting these devices. As with all businesses our resources are finite, so to continue improving Maschine and to develop new features we need to part ways with some older products.