AUTODESK TO ACQUIRE SOFTIMAGE
Autodesk Media & Entertainment provides animation, visual effects, editing/finishing and color grading solutions. According to Autodesk senior VP Marc Petit, the company will be adding Softimage technology and products to its portfolio, and welcoming its team to Autodesk Media & Entertainment. “Both will help us accelerate the work of our Games Technology Group, as we build the next-generation of realtime, interactive 3D authoring tools for games, film and television," he notes.
Autodesk intends to continue developing and selling Softimage's core product line, while integrating certain Softimage technology into future versions of Autodesk solutions and products. Through the deal, Autodesk acquires Softimage’s XSI (including XSI Essentials, XSI Advanced, XSI Academic, XSI Mod Tool and the XSI software development kit); Face Robot, its software for easily rigging and animating 3D faces; Cat, the advanced character animation system plug-in for 3DS Max; and Crosswalk, an interoperability solution.
This Softimage acquisition follows Autodesk’s 2006 acquisition of Alias, and demonstrates the company’s willingness to give customers choices.
“We plan to maintain and grow the Softimage product line, and through Autodesk FBX, provide better interoperability between Softimage products, 3DS Max and Autodesk Maya. FBX also provides interoperability between Softimage products and our specialized applications such as Autodesk Mudbox, Autodesk MotionBuilder, Autodesk ImageModeler and Autodesk Stitcher, as well as numerous third-party applications."