Update 29/08/2022 21:13 UTC: A spokesperson for Magix reached out to TheGamer claiming that no licenses have been revoked and that users should still be able to run deprecated versions of the software. When it comes to the case in question, the company believes that "what happened was the customer purchased the software through Steam, but tried to upgrade through Magix and received all those error messages. Some people may not be aware, but if you buy a product through Steam, and choose to upgrade, you have to upgrade through Steam." The original article follows.
The company behind the popular video editing software known as Vegas Pro, Magix, recently delisted Version 15 of the program from Steam, released on September 5, 2017. This of course brought on a backlash, provoking an uproar from owners. The move which involved revoking all current licenses effectively forced anyone who relied on Vegas Pro to pay full price for an upgrade to the latest edition, Version 18.
Vegas Pro Version 15 was described as providing “state of the art editing tools in a streamlined, logical interface, allowing for full creative freedom for your professional video and audio editing projects.” The program is “packed with exactly the right tools for precise project editing in a variety of formats for creative editing and for immediate distribution. Whether you're working in HD or 4K, Version 15 combines everything into a single workflow.”
The community is broadly in agreement over the fact that Version 18 provides a number of new features, but hardly justifies the price tag for owners of most earlier editions, particularly Version 15. Some have argued that Magix should provide current owners with a free upgrade, similar to many other companies which create video editing software.
The response from users of the software has been extremely negative. “I am now officially never buying Vegas editing software again,” the user on Twitter going by the name of PaladinPoko remarked. “The developers have removed Vegas Pro Version 15 for purchase on Steam and are now revoking licenses for the software. I'm now out $150 and no longer have editing software. Very cool!” PaladinPoko noted how this “legit has ruined my day.”
The reviews on Steam express very similar sentiments to those of PaladinPoko. The owner Benjamin Magnus basically summed up the situation back on January 6, noting how the publishers are “revoking the licenses for the older versions of the program one at a time to try to force you to rebuy the newer versions.” Magnus added that “I am out my money and my program. Scummy as all hell.”