Maxon Forger discontinuation and subscription file lockout

Maxon Forger was a 3D sculpting application for iPad that Maxon discontinued on September 10, 2025.^[1] When the app was removed from the Apple App Store, existing subscribers could not renew their subscriptions.^[1] Upon lapse, the application reverted to a restricted free tier that allowed users to open existing project files but blocked both saving changes and exporting geometry to standard formats.^[2] Because Forger stored projects in a native file format that no other application supports, users who had not exported their work before their subscription ended could not migrate their data to another program.^[3][4]

Forger was created by VFX TD Javier Edo and first released in 2011 as one of the earliest dedicated 3D sculpting apps for iPad.^[5] Maxon acquired the application in March 2021.^[6] After the acquisition, Maxon added a freemium option with subscription tiers.^[7]

The free tier imposed two restrictions that became consequential after discontinuation. Users could save no more than three scenes; starting a fourth required deleting an existing file or subscribing.^[2] Exporting any scene also required an active subscription, including exports to Cinema 4D.^[2] The standalone subscription cost $1.99 per month or $14.99 per year.^[5] Forger was also included in Maxon One bundles.^[2]

Maxon's own reference manual described the subscription-lapse behavior explicitly:

Files that were saved while a subscription was active can be opened and edited, but cannot be saved in Free mode.

^[2]

This meant that when a subscription expired, a user could still view existing projects and make temporary edits, but could not save modifications or export the geometry to standard interoperable formats.^[2]

On July 4, 2025, Maxon announced that Forger would enter "Limited Maintenance Mode" on September 10, 2025.^[1] From that date forward, the app would no longer be available for purchase or download on the App Store and subscription renewals would no longer be possible.^[1] The company stated there would no longer be any updates, bug fixes, or changes to the software.^[3] Existing subscribers could continue using the app until the end of their then-current billing period, and technical support would remain available until September 10, 2025 or the end of the subscription term, whichever came first.^[3]

The cutoff prevented any subscriber from maintaining an active subscription past their existing billing period.^[1] Maxon's announcement explicitly stated that "Subscription licenses of Forger can be renewed only until September 10th, 2025."^[1] RevenueCat, a subscription-management platform, confirmed that when a developer removes an auto-renewable subscription from sale in App Store Connect, "existing subscribers won't be able to renew this subscription" and the entitlement expires at the end of the current paid period.^[8]

Once a subscriber's Forger entitlement lapsed, the app reverted to the free tier. The user retained visual access to locally stored project files but lost the ability to export them.^[2] Because the native Forger file format is unsupported in ZBrush, Cinema 4D, or any third-party application, a user who had not exported their work before the subscription ended had no migration path.^[3][4]

Maxon directed Forger users to ZBrush for iPad as the replacement.^[3] ZBrush for iPad launched on September 10, 2024, exactly one year before the Forger cutoff.^[9] ZBrush for iPad costs $9.99 per month or $89.99 per year, compared to Forger's $14.99 annual subscription.^[5] Maxon merged the Forger development team into the ZBrush for iPad team and stated that the consolidation would allow the company to:

leverage Forger's history on iPad and ZBrush's sculpting capabilities to introduce more features and innovations.

^[3]

Maxon offered no migration path for Forger format files. The company's FAQ stated that Forger format files are "not specifically supported in ZBrush" and advised users to export OBJ or GoZ files.^[3] Press coverage noted that layers, mesh data, and certain effects might not transfer cleanly, particularly for complex projects.^[4]

A Reddit user on r/ZBrush reported in September 2024 that the app "crashes every few minutes, it doesn't even get a chance to auto save."^[10] Maxon's April 15, 2026 release notes for ZBrush 2026.2.0 acknowledged that crashes on document export, welding points, and ZModeler preset deletion had been ongoing issues that the update addressed.^[11]

On October 8, 2023, a Reddit user in r/sculpting articulated the same frustration that would later affect subscribers after the 2025 discontinuation, asking for alternatives after discovering that Forger would not allow export without payment.^[12]

Industry press coverage highlighted the forced migration and price increase. Digital Production's article on July 8, 2025, stated that "Maxon has now nailed the Forger coffin shut" and warned that "Forger's native file format is not supported anywhere else, not even in Cinema 4D."^[4] SlatePad framed the transition as a push toward ZBrush.^[7]