earwig83 wrote: ↑02 Nov 2021
I really think this company and platform is likely doomed long term with the approach the venture capital fund era has been taking. Strictly my opinion but I really think the new CEO venture bro is super transparent to a fault, even if he thinks he s not. He's in it for the sale/money, not the music. He doesn't have a musical bone in his body and everything he says speaks volumes of the horrible direction he is going with all this. Most companies that lose the single individuals vision end up this way. I'd go further into it but I've been warned before for making unsubstantiated personal critiques of individuals at the company. That said, I am pretty sure Ernst had to roll over for whatever reason. I believe this venture capital thing was hostile. Would love information on exactly what happened if anyone has more info!
And my criteria for them being doomed is:
1) they are no longer a company loved by its biggest and most dedicated and biggest spending users (i am one of them)
2) they are no longer a company of musicians responding to musicians. They are responding to social media trends and casual user market.
3) they are no longer bug-free and well optimized. Newest version of 12 is a disaster in numerous ways. The half baked hi-res thing is a slap in the face.
4) they are inevitably erasing people's ability to "own" something long term and stubbornly doubling down on awful subscription paradigm. This is also making Reason less self-contained, breaking the one thing that set them apart from everyone.
5) they are slowly letting marketing eclipse solid product development (the social push lately has just been straight up cringe and overwhelmingly incessant)
6) abandoning RE market and shop (just put the darn shop link at the top of the page, there is a spot for it!) Insanity.
7) most of the recent UI designs have been awful and chunky/clunky. Most of the new REs suffer from major UI issues.
8) they tried to make a road map and already failing to deliver on it for things that should have been there when the damn product shipped! Just like the snake oil salesmen losers at CDPR.
9) this forum is too soft and spends too much time trying to defend the company. Just like reddit and their mods do.
corpos are ruining it all... again! hahahah
If I could walk away with a DRM free version of my 10/11 or 12 license, I would, out of protest. But I am invested, and really want them to survive and keep this legacy going and I bet they know that but why not listen? I regret not listening to my friend when we used to debate about this issue. And that's sad because I have bought every version since 5 on day one and really want Reason to keep living. it probably will but not in a way most of us want it to.
There is still a chance for them to win us over but after 3 versions of people saying "I'll wait for the next version" I think it is safe to say it is likely downhill from here, even if there are a few highs along the way. Just like drug abuse, you can still have a good time here and there before you finally kick it. haha