Battle Axe has released Overlord 2.6, expanding its well-known Illustrator-to-After Effects bridge into Photoshop territory. The update introduces a direct Photoshop connection, enabling the transfer of native PSD layers, including text, masks, gradients, and layer styles, into After Effects as editable AE layers ready for animation.
Until now, After Effects users importing Photoshop files were confined to flattened or grouped layer structures. Overlord’s new system translates Photoshop data into true layer objects, retaining editable text and design attributes.
More Than a Patch
Version 2.6 also adds an image scale selector, giving users control over how imported imagery is sized during transfer. Battle Axe has rewritten the messaging system, lifting the image transfer ceiling from 16 MB to 265 MB, and redesigned the application interface. Preference handling has been moved to the app itself for faster response. Other interface adjustments include a Figma panel redesign, now hiding settings behind a gear icon.
Maintenance and Hotfix
A follow-up build, Overlord 2.6.1, was issued the next day to fix a bug that caused a blank app panel for new users. The changelog also lists fixes for Illustrator and Figma panels, resolving issues with paragraph alignment, linked file handling, and text justification.
What It Means for Production
Overlord has long served as a time-saver for motion designers bridging design tools and After Effects. The Photoshop connection extends this to one of the most common layout sources in VFX and motion pipelines. As with all major workflow updates, studios should test version 2.6 thoroughly before deploying in production to verify compatibility with existing projects and AE builds.
