Why should I renew my license?

Your purchase of World Machine includes a free year of support, including the ability to download all new versions released during that time.

If it’s been more than a year since you purchased WM, you will need to renew your license in order to upgrade to a version released after your original license term. The upgrade fee is a fraction of your original purchase price.

To do so, just login to the Update Center.

Renewal FAQs

Why should I renew?

New versions of World Machine are being released more frequently. We are continuously improving the program and releasing the changes as soon as they are ready. Renewing your license gives you access to whatever new version is out now, plus anything released during the following year.

Why not just release World Machine 3, 4, etc?

Creating a “big version number” sequel is a serious amount of work, and it usually took us at least 3 years in the past to create. The worst part is that new features needed to be “saved up” for years to go with a big release. This helped no one. Now, we can release individual features as soon as they’re ready.

The best part is that we no longer charge for major upgrades (like from World Machine 1 to 2). Instead, while under maintenance all versions of World Machine are simply available to you.

I own an older version released more than a year ago. Why don’t I get free bug fixes?

Unfortunately it’s not practical to back-patch bugfixes for very old versions. Typically at least 4 new builds are released a year, and maintaining these older builds would slowly become a full time job in of itself. This is unsustainable for us to maintain.

Any significant bug you encounter in the version you purchased is very likely to be fixed over the following year.

What does it cost?

The cost depends on which edition you own, but currently it’s ~40% of the original cost of the license. The upgrade price we’ve calculated for you is available at the License Management page.

Is this a subscription?

No, it is not. Your license is perpetual – you can use it forever. You don’t have to renew if you don’t want to. There’s also no ‘catch-up’ fee if maintenance lapsed – you can wait for features compelling to you to upgrade.

Can my license renew automatically?

We are looking at having an optional auto-renewal to keep you up to date, but this is not currently available.

Does my software ever stop working?

No. Your license is perpetual and valid for the versions released before the expiration of your renewal. You can access them at any time.

How often do you release new versions?

There should be a significant new build on the development channel at least once a quarter, with a target of at least one major named release per year.