Key Takeaways
1. Serif’s Affinity software gained popularity as a one-time payment alternative to Photoshop and Illustrator, but the official store has been taken down ahead of a major announcement on October 30.
2. Community concerns are growing after Canva’s acquisition of Affinity, with users fearing potential shifts toward AI integration and a subscription model.
3. The official Affinity Forum has been closed, limiting public discussions and raising worries about transparency regarding user feedback.
4. Affinity has not clearly addressed user concerns about generative AI and subscription models, leading to increased skepticism among its community.
5. Many users express reluctance to adopt a subscription model, preferring the previous one-time payment system for ongoing access to the software.
Serif’s Affinity Photo and Designer have become popular substitutes for Photoshop and Illustrator for those who prefer a one-time payment instead of ongoing fees. Recently, though, Serif has taken down the Affinity software store and replaced it with a message saying, “True creative freedom is just around the corner,” along with a launch date of October 30 and a link to subscribe to an announcement newsletter.
Community Concerns
While it seems like Serif is gearing up for a major reveal, there’s growing unease among users due to its recent takeover by Canva—a company known for its free image editor loaded with AI features. Many in the community are worried about how this acquisition might affect the future of Affinity’s products.
At the moment, the Affinity announcement post on X has garnered 510 likes and over 240 comments, with many expressing worries regarding the future of both the company and its software. After Canva’s acquisition of Affinity, the CEO mentioned that they would focus more on AI as a creative tool, but she also acknowledged that Affinity’s community is not entirely on board with generative AI and the risks associated with pushing too hard into AI. Nevertheless, users still fear that on October 30, Affinity will introduce numerous AI features that were never requested, and possibly even shift to a subscription model instead of their traditional one-time purchase.
Forum Closure
Adding to the anxiety is the shutdown of the official Affinity Forum on October 5, with support and community discussions now shifting to Discord. The forum will still be available as a read-only database, but no new posts or comments will be allowed. This change raises concerns that the absence of an active forum might suppress public discussions about potential complaints regarding a new subscription model.
Affinity hasn’t provided clear answers to the questions and concerns regarding the introduction of generative AI and the possibility of a subscription model. The most definitive statement they made was:
“We hear you! Fairness and freedom are what Affinity was built on and we’re excited to share what we’ve been building. Hold tight to October 30, you’ll like what’s coming.”
User Skepticism
The interpretation of this statement varies among individuals, but there is a significant amount of skepticism surrounding the upcoming launch. Many commenters believe that the ambiguous nature of the reply only reinforces their worries, with several stating they would never subscribe for Affinity. Previously, a one-time fee of $164.99 allowed users to obtain a perpetual license for Affinity Photo 2, Designer 2, and Publisher 2 across multiple platforms.
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