Maxon has now nailed the Forger coffin shut, confirming that the iPad sculpting app will enter “limited maintenance mode” and vanish from the App Store on September 10, 2025. The company’s newly published FAQ leaves little room for ambiguity: after the cutoff, no new updates, no fresh bug fixes, and definitely no new subscriptions.

Forger, acquired by Maxon in 2021 after a long solo run since 2011, brought polygon modeling, non-destructive layers, and a surprisingly ambitious toolset to the iPad. But since 2023, it’s seen nothing more than bug fix bandages. Now, even those are running out.

What “Limited Maintenance Mode” Means—No Surprises Here

From September 10, 2025, Forger is gone from the App Store. You can’t buy, download, or subscribe. Current users can keep the app as long as their subscription is active and can re-download, but there will be no new updates or bug fixes. Technical support remains, but only until your subscription runs out or Forger vanishes entirely.

Migration: GoZ

If you want your work to survive, use GoZ to transfer projects to ZBrush (desktop or iPad). Forger’s native file format is not supported anywhere else—not even in Cinema 4D. Plan accordingly. Layers, mesh data, and certain effects may not transfer cleanly, especially for complex projects. The official advice: test your asset pipeline now, not after September.

Forger Out, ZBrush for iPad In

Maxon’s recommended replacement is ZBrush for iPad, which debuted in September 2024. It supports 200+ brushes, DynaMesh, Sculptris Pro, and other ZBrush staples. It’s free to try, but full functionality costs $9.99/month or $89.99/year—substantially more than Forger’s old $1.99/month or $14.99/year. There is no migration discount. The Forger and ZBrush for iPad teams are being merged, so features should converge (in theory, and with enough patience).

Reality Check: Test Before You Migrate

Every workflow, export, and pipeline step should be validated with actual production assets before committing to ZBrush for iPad or any replacement. Maxon’s FAQ and support documentation make no secret of Forger’s quirks—neither should your team.

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Maxon official FAQ: End of Support // Forger End of Service FAQ

The post Maxon Sunsets Forger: iPad Sculptors Get the (Maintenance) Axe first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.