After months of anticipation (and many requests from artists who can’t resist a good node), Abstract is unleashing InstaMAT 2025 on July 22. The big news: InstaMAT Studio finally shakes off its early access training wheels and lands as a fully-fledged texturing and material authoring suite for professionals in VFX, games, and beyond. It’s the moment many in the CG crowd have been waiting for – especially those not keen on renting their tools.
We’ve known the Abstract team since their InstaLOD days, and now InstaMAT, which started as little more than a scribble on a napkin (well, maybe not literally), is shedding it’s Early Access label. Stay tuned—we’ll be sitting down with the Abstract crew soon for an exclusive deep dive into InstaMAT 2025’s new features, design choices, and the team’s journey from early beginnings to AAA adoption.
New: Terrain Generation for the Texture-Hungry
The headline addition is a robust terrain generation system. Procedural, physically based terrain workflows are now just another InstaMAT graph away. Artists can model, erode, scatter, and build biomes in one consistent node-based environment. No more roundtripping between half a dozen landscape tools—just terrain, the InstaMAT way.
Ray Tracing: Cinematic Viewport Previews
Viewport rendering now gets the blockbuster treatment. InstaMAT’s upgraded renderer features real-time ray tracing, including shadows, reflections, global illumination, and enhanced translucency. Preview assets in dramatic, photoreal style, all within the main application. It’s designed for anyone who prefers seeing their work as it will actually look before the next client call.
Texturing Smarts: Masks, Curves, and Reference Layers
InstaMAT 2025 pushes forward with advanced asset texturing: reference layers and mask filters bring procedural control and fine-grained adjustment. Curve Brushes and Curves nodes let users draw organic lines and details right on the mesh, scatter shapes, and tweak every property in real time. If you love non-destructive workflows (and who doesn’t?), this release brings more flexibility to both lookdev and production artists.
250+ New Assets: More to Drag, Drop, and Tweak
InstaMAT’s growing asset library adds over 250 new materials, decals, and filters. Everything’s PBR, everything’s drag-and-drop, and the list now stretches well past 1,000 assets. Stylized or photoreal, there’s plenty here for teams who want to prototype fast—or never want to build a rock texture again.
Cloud Collaboration: Polyverse Integration
Abstract expands project sharing with deeper Polyverse integration. Artists can upload, manage, and collaborate on assets with version control, AR previews, and project sharing. Polyverse “Polytrons” (tiny cloud microservices for asset handling) round out the story for distributed teams who don’t all work on the same continent (or timezone).
Pricing: Indie to Studio Scale
The Pioneer edition remains free for qualifying users. For those with revenue under $250,000/year, perpetual licenses are $489.99, while subscriptions run $9.99/month or $99.99/year. Above $250,000, the perpetual license jumps to $949.99, with annual rental at $299.40. Studio-wide and enterprise deals are also available. Check Abstract’s pricing page for the most current rates—pre-release discounts are live for now.
Integrations: Industry-Standard Support
InstaMAT Studio works on Windows 7+, Windows Server 2016+, and macOS 13.0+. DCC and engine plugins are provided for 3ds Max, Blender, Maya, Unity, and Unreal Engine. InstaMAT Pipeline offers command-line and batch processing, while the C++ SDK keeps pipeline TDs happy.
Trusted by Bandai Namco, Blizzard, and Others
Abstract points to “significant usage among AAA studios,” with Bandai Namco and Blizzard Entertainment named as early adopters during the early access period. It’s always wise to pilot new tools before rollout, but the names should inspire confidence for studios evaluating a Substance alternative.
Stay Tuned for Our InstaMAT 2025 Deep Dive
We’ll be publishing a deep dive interview with the Abstract team in the coming days—exploring not just the new features, but the stories behind them. Watch this space if you want firsthand insights and the full scoop!
