Maxon puts the Forger sculpting app for iPad on life support

Maxon is sunsetting the Forger sculpting app for iPad to focus on the more comprehensive ZBrush iPadOS app it introduced last year. Forger will be removed from the App Store on September 10th, according to a message on Maxon’s website, and the app will be placed in a “Limited Maintenance Mode” that won’t receive any future updates, bug fixes, or changes.

The announcement serves as the final nail in the coffin for one of the iPad’s oldest and most popular sculpting apps, which hasn’t received any major updates since 2023. Forger was launched by app developer Javier Edo Meseguer in 2011 back when 3D modelling software was scarce on tablet devices due to hardware limitations. It was later acquired by Maxon in 2021, which later the same year snapped up Pixologic’s professional sculpting and painting desktop software, ZBrush.

Maxon says that existing users are “free to continue using Forger” after support ends, but encourages them to switch to the iPad version of ZBrush that launched in September 2024. Subscription licenses for Forger ($14 annually) can be renewed until September 10th and will be valid until the end of the subscription term.

“We carefully considered this decision. Our goal is to consolidate resources and efforts to enhance the sculpting experience on iPad,” Maxon said on a new FAQ page. “By merging our teams, we can leverage Forger’s history on iPad and ZBrush’s sculpting capabilities to introduce more features and innovations, particularly with the Apple Pencil and iPad.”

Forger and ZBrush for iPad both have free-to-use tiers that provide basic tools, with premium app features requiring a subscription. The ZBrush app license offers a wider range of tools and functionality compared to Forger’s, but at $89.99 per year, it also costs considerably more. And while Forger users can transfer their data to ZBrush, it’s worth noting that Forger’s native file format isn’t directly supported.

Another hiccup for Forger users with older iPads is that the ZBrush app is generally recommended for models with Apple’s M-series silicon chips; otherwise, they may experience performance issues. A more affordable solution for new or hobbyist iPad sculptors is Nomad Sculpt, which provides a beginner-friendly range of tools for a one-time $20 download fee.