Home Forums General Discussion Autodesk Acquire Alias!

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    • #4626
      Anonymous
      Inactive
    • #25869
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      Some notes:

      * timeline: 4 to 6 months until the deal closes
      * Alias President and CEO, Doug Walker, will stay on in a transitionary roll, but expects to “leave Alias” some time after the aqcuision is finaled.
      * the deal was for the aquision of Alias (Maya, StudioTools, etc.) for $186 million “cash”
      * Alias made $86 million in revenues last year
      * Alias currently has 600 employees in different locations (so.cal and toronto)
      * The two companies will remain independant until the deal closes
      * The deal does not impact any current product plans or release schedules
      * Initial plans sound like the intention is to maintian Max and Maya as products and to focus development on inter-operability between the two (Workflow, pipeline, PLEASE!)
      * audio of the press conference will be available at http://www.autodesk.com/press
      * Alias personell and products will be integrated into the “proper” ADSK business divisions, with entertainment products falling under Autodeask Media and Entertainment division (montreal?), and design applications being moved to the ADSK design tools division (san francisco?)
      * Rebranding? Alias has a “premier” name and ADSK plans to use that name “in any way possible” — the Discreet name is currently tied to AME systems tools. No mention of changes/branding with regards to 3ds Max. No commitments to any final names

      Alias revenues were $83 million in the last year. Comparably, Autodesk’s revenue for the same year is $1.2 billion.

      Since it has been founded in 1982, Autodesk saved no money to buy out its rivals, with the acquisition of Alias being their 14th. After its first acquisition in 1993, that of Woodbourne, Autodesk went on to acquire Softdesk, Genius CAD Software, Discreet Logic, Buzzsaw.com, Media 100, Gentry Systems, Revit Technology, CAiCE Software, truEInnovations, Linius Technologies, VIA Development and MechSoft Technology.

      According to Autodesk, it plans to support Alias’ products and customers, and does not anticipate any changes with respect to planned product releases for both companies.

      For more information on what this transition has to you, as a customer of either companies, you may find some answers in the Acquisition Questions and Answers.
      http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/Autodesk_Alias_External_FAQ.pdf

    • #26086
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      The Deal about the Deal (Interview with Autodesk and Alias)

      http://www.highend3d.com/articles/columns/4.html

    • #26153
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      Looks like Max and Maya will continue to co-exist for a good while yet.

      /still it would have given me a kick up the arse to go off and learn Max.

    • #26213
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      Is max better than maya?

    • #26216
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      Matter of taste…Both equally good.
      People tend to prefer whichever package they started with.

    • #26217
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      ok so whatever they sould learn in college or whatever

    • #26230
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      I guess whatever the course teaches, you learn.
      Max is easier to get to grips with.

      TBH in the games industry as long as you know one, you can pick up the other one fairly easily on the job. Most companies dont frown upon you if you are well versed in one and not the other.

      If I was an artist I might want to have a good working knowledge of both though…just to be well rounded.

      (Oh btw, I love Maya)

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