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Maxon is discontinuing ZBrushCore and ZBrushCoreMini<\/a>. the commercial and free cut-down editions of ZBrush, its digital sculpting software.<\/p>\n ZBrushCoreMini downloads will be removed on 30 May 2025, and sales of new ZBrushCore subscriptions will be ended, although existing subs can be renewed until 30 September 2025.<\/p>\n In its online FAQs<\/a>, Maxon also teases a new \u201cfreemium\u201d version of ZBrush to \u201calign the desktop and iPad versions\u201d.<\/p>\n ZBrushCore and ZBrushCoreMini: the old cut-down desktop editions of ZBrush<\/strong> ZBrushCoreMini, a free non-commercial edition, followed it in 2020<\/a>.<\/p>\n You can see a feature comparison table for ZBrushCoreMini and ZBrushCore<\/a> on Maxon\u2019s website, and find more details on the ZBrushCore<\/a> and ZBrushCoreMini<\/a> product pages.<\/p>\n Neither has seen many updates since Maxon acquired original ZBrush developer Pixologic<\/a> in 2022: the most recent version of ZBrushCore is the 2021.6 release<\/a>.<\/p>\n Updates and downloads to stop on 30 May 2025; subscription renewals on 30 September<\/strong> It will also no longer be possible to take out a new ZBrushCore subscription, although existing subscribers will be able to renew monthly subscriptions until 30 September 2025, and will receive active support until that date.<\/p>\n New \u2018freemium\u2019 edition of ZBrush coming soon<\/strong> In the FAQs, Maxon also notes that as part of its \u201ccontinued efforts to align the Desktop and iPad versions, a new Freemium version of ZBrush Desktop is on its way\u201d.<\/p>\n Price, system requirements and dates<\/strong> ZBrushCoreMini is available free until 30 May 2025. On the release of ZBrushCoreMini 2021<\/a>, it was compatible with 64-bit Windows 7+ and Mac OS X 10.11+.<\/p>\n ZBrush for iPad is compatible with iPadOS 17.0+. It requires an iPad with a A12 Bionic chip or later. The base app is free, but is export-disabled. Access to the full feature set requires a paid subscription, which costs $9.99\/month or $89.99\/year.<\/p>\n The desktop edition of ZBrush is compatible with Windows 10+ and macOS 11.5+. It is rental-only, with subscriptions costing $49\/month or $399\/year, also including the iPad edition. Maxon hasn\u2019t announced a release date for the new freemium edition.<\/p>\n Read Maxon\u2019s online FAQs about discontinuing ZBrushCore and ZBrushCoreMini<\/a><\/p>\n Download ZBrushCoreMini for free until 30 May 2025<\/a> Have your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a> and X (formerly Twitter)<\/a>. As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we don\u2019t post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
First released in 2016<\/a>, ZBrushCore is a cut-down edition of the software aimed at \u201cusers who are new to 3D, illustrators, students and 3D printing enthusiasts\u201d.<\/p>\n
Both editions will now enter \u2018limited maintenance mode\u2019 on 30 May 2025, so neither will receive any updates or bugfixes, and ZBrushCoreMini will no longer be available for download.<\/p>\n
Maxon doesn\u2019t give a reason for discontinuing ZBrushCore and ZBrushCoreMini in its FAQs, but it does mention the new iPad edition of ZBrush<\/a>, which fulfils the role of a less expensive, less fully featured alternative to the desktop version of the software, with a free base edition.<\/p>\n
Maxon doesn\u2019t list system requirements or prices for ZBrushCore on its website, but on release, ZBrushCore 2021<\/a> was compatible with Windows 7+ and Mac OS X 10.10+, and cost $9.95\/month.<\/p>\n
(Requires a free Maxon account)<\/p>\n