I love NI, but I'm nervous/anxious/scared for future

Enatural7

Native Instruments’ direction concerns me. As a significant investor in their ecosystem, I started purchasing software in 2021 and was thrilled with the sound I achieved using their libraries. In 2023, I bought a brand new Maschine MKIII, my first hardware, because NI made their products so easy and impressive. 

I rarely encounter software issues, but I’m concerned about NI’s product rollout and immediate support shutdown. I fear Kontakt 8 will be discontinued soon, replacing it with Kontakt X. Maschine 3.0 felt like a “pacify” update, and with the Akai partnership, I doubt future updates will be meaningful. I’m searching for a reliable program that will allow me to use these sounds and hardware for years. 

TLDR: As a new person to the NI ecosystem I fear that my money has been wasted because I sense that NI is going to stop support and ruin the perpetual products I have already purchased for the next big thing. 

NI really grew my palate for great sounds and now I feel like I'm going to lose them within 5 years. As I don't have the money to keep dishing out every year. 

Vocalpoint

"Kontakt 8 will be discontinued soon, replacing it with Kontakt X"

Kontakt 8 has only been out since October. And has had one update so far. Historically you can expect at least 2-2.5 years out of a Kontakt version. There will be no "X" anytime soon.

As far as the rest of your post - it sounds like you are really putting the cart before the horse here. FWIW - I have been with NI since 2001 - and have ever felt like I "lost" anything.

Yes - you will need to upgrade bits and pieces now and then eventually but product "support" is ever evolving and every vendor launches things and retires things. It is the standard worldwide. All you can do is stay informed and enjoy what you have and then decide future moves - when you actually need to decide.

VP

Enatural7

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/206988#Comment_206988

Apologies for misleading with the Kontakt iteration. I was only trying to convey how fast these new products come out and quick new products become obsolete.

While I appreciate that you have been a NI user since 2001, they are not the same company. I could see a world where their pricing models will go to only subscription based - as they just added that pricing model. Many companies have introduced and implemented this pricing structure. And within a few years, go exclusively to subscription based.

I don't mind updating products, I understand that - especially as a Mac user. However, I also recognize that they were able to create and introduce MPC standalone products that aren't even on their own Maschine +…very quickly. The Maschine + just recently came out and while it's not outdated or obsolete, the support and features are falling gravely behind.

Side note to this: I also now own an MPC, and I have to repay for the sounds I already own breaks my heart. Its like I would have to pay for two different versions of Dropbox cloud storage because I use two different OS'.

I'm not here to complain - because I really do love NI. I just have a fear that in a few years, if I don't want to repay for the entire suite that I am going to lose the ability to use what I spent so much money on.

TLDR: I respect your sentiments and I apologize for misleading. Idk when Kontakt X will be released. I just notice a pattern and am sharing my fears about it.

Vocalpoint

While I can sympathize with the overall vibe of this:

"I was only trying to convey how fast these new products come out and quick new products become obsolete"

I do need to clarify a couple of things…

"I don't mind updating products, I understand that - especially as a Mac user"

If you are a Mac user - obsolescence is your middle name. Apple makes no accommodations for any vendor, product or service and when they say something is dead - it is dead for everyone. Including all the vendors (like NI) whose software "was" supported against that product - and now isn't. I am certain that you can understand that when NI can no longer go to Apple over an issue - you can no longer go to NI. Hence the end of support.

"Supporting" any product these days - only goes so far as active support for a typical OS etc.

"However, I also recognize that they were able to create and introduce MPC standalone products that aren't even on their own Maschine +…very quickly."

I have zero skins (or interest) in new partner product introduced at NAMM - but I can almost guarantee you - this was not something that was done "quickly". Most likely in the works for a lonnnnnggggg while and made it's debut last week.

"The Maschine + just recently came out and while it's not outdated or obsolete, the support and features are falling gravely behind."

The Maschine+ came out in Sept 2020 - which is almost an eternity in the software world when measured against today.

That said - NI has already clearly stated (over and over) in that super long Partner thread that this device will be supported, will be getting new updates and is not going anywhere soon.

"I just have a fear that in a few years, if I don't want to repay for the entire suite that I am going to lose the ability to use what I spent so much money on."

As a Mac user - everyone pays eventually - due to standard Apple retirement policies whether you like it or not. If you want super long term usage with few strings attached - Windows rules that department.

The other key in all of this has little to do with OS and everything to do with authorization tools. Regardless of what you are using - if you can't activate it - it's dead anyway.

In the end - you need to accept your platform choice and ALL the pros and cons to it.

No vendor can get around this.

VP

PoorFellow

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/41856/i-love-ni-but-im-nervous-anxious-scared-for-future

but I’m concerned about NI’s product rollout and immediate support shutdown.

I fear Kontakt 8 will be discontinued soon, replacing it with Kontakt X

Kontakt 8 is the newest Kontakt product and I do not expect it being upgraded to a new version anytime soon. And as far as Kontakt goes then you should be much more worried about your OS being upgraded and rendering your software useless than worrying about Kontakt itself being upgraded. While I agree that N.I. have an annoying habit of upgrading things via Native Access without checking if the users products is compatible with e.g. the Kontakt library updates then as far as I know then you can both continue to use your old Kontakt app as along as the OS it runs on is supported as well as you can continue to use your Kontakt library products on next generation Kontakt app , and as long as your libraries, as per your "significant investment in their ecosystem", are N.I.'s own licensed libraries then they can also be used on the future kontakt players that is free.

LostInFoundation

I can see patterns too.

Included some here in the forum, where the same guys constantly intervene every time someone raises concerns, to show how he “doesn’t understand how things work these days”, how “we must accept and live with it”,… Well…some DON’T want to accept it…

They were here saying the same things when Kontakt 7 was released (oct 2022), when they were not seeing any new version coming out soon (*), because “historically you can expect at least 4-4.5 years out of a Kontakt version” (yes…because previous version, Kontakt 6, was released in 2018…therefore 4 years before…). It seems they adapt their theories quite fast to what NI does… But at least they “sympathize with us”…

Faster releases that are more than welcome (fast development is a positive thing, IF interesting things are added)… if only NI would not have that bad habit to make life difficult for users that want/have to remain on previous versions. Or even block them from installing/authorizing.

Which is exactly the concerns that OP is raising.

* Quite interesting also how the concept of “soon” can be manipulated, depending if it is about updates promised from more than 1 year “coming soon”/ 1200 bucks hardwares (yes, HARDWARES, not softwares) “not going anywhere soon”… or about your programs not being at risk because “no new version will be coming soon”…

Matthew_NI

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/41856/i-love-ni-but-im-nervous-anxious-scared-for-future

Kontakt 8 will not be discontinued soon. It enters 2025 with an extensive roadmap ahead.

Nor does anything named Kontakt X –or Kontakt 9 for that matter– exist on the horizon.

Regarding your concern for perpetual products - we also have no plans to switch to subscription. Rather, our plans are already out in public: we offer both perpetual, and subscription, and will continue to do so.

Enatural7

I appreciate the engagement everyone.

@Matthew_NI Thank you for coming in and giving some reassurance. I appreciate what you all do. I have never had any issues with my products. I am aware that you have both models and appreciate the confirmation that you will continue to have both product models. Just a raise of concern, and sharing my perspective - without the negative sentiments.

@LostInFoundation Thank you for understanding and articulating my perspective in a different way. What you have stated is within my mind frame of the situation. I'm not upset with NI, but I just notice a pattern that could lead to what I am feeling. They have foreshadowed a direction and then wen a different one.

@PoorFellow Yes, I am aware that this is the case. Kontakt was an example of my point. My point is that new versions of the flagship products from NI roll out so much that it is difficult to keep up. For example, not too long after purchasing Kontakt 7, NI introduced Kontakt 8 with the chord tool, leap and other things that are exclusive to Kontakt 8. My OS is updated, but so was Kontakt 7. Additionally, think about the libraries that I can't use with Kontakt 6 because they are exclusive to Kontakt 7.

Moreover, Maschine has a few issues that users have been begging to have, but it seems like its overlooked and better opportunities were given to Akai - and I have to pay extra for those new tools and opportunities…after JUST purchasing Maschine 3.0. I hope this makes sense.

@Vocalpoint Yeah…unfortunately, this is the truth. I accept it. Just wanted to share my perspective and engage with the community about it.

ShelLuser

TLDR: As a new person to the NI ecosystem I fear that my money has been wasted because I sense that NI is going to stop support and ruin the perpetual products I have already purchased for the next big thing. 

I really fail to understand your reasoning here, it makes little sense to me. You make it sound as if new updates would suddenly render your current collection useless, which is obviously not true. Not to mention… why even care about any of this in the first place?

For example… Absynth was one of my very first 'real' synths I bought from NI back in the day (now quite some years ago). However, the product has been discontinued in the mean time and is no longer included with current Komplete releases. However, this doesn't affect me at all and I'm still using Absynth on a somewhat frequent basis even to this very day. I paid good money for the product back then I'm still a vivid user.

And that's only one example…

How would that purchase suddenly be a waste considering how much I've already accomplished with it and still use it for today?

Same applies to Komplete… I'm still happily using 13UC, but the fact that 15 has been released doesn't affect that at all, nor should it. Kontakt? I'm quite satisfied with 7, it does everything I need. Even though I am considering an upgrade in the future it's not something I'd need to enjoy my setup.

Enatural7

1. I also own Absynth, but I cannot use it because of the OS that I have and it is no longer supported.
2. My reasoning for the post is to share concern friend. We pay for perpetuity, but if the items no longer work, after ten years, then it can be considered wasted.

NI family, I am done with this. I own and use the products I have. I enjoy those products. I am no longer responding to this post anymore. I will make provisions where I need. Please don't worry about the original post.

Love, peace, and hair grease!