Shade3D Co buys rights to Shade 3D from e frontier
Long-established 3D package Shade 3D has a new owner. Key product staff have formed a new company, Shade3D Co, to buy the development and marketing rights for the software from former owner e frontier.
The new firm is headed by former e frontier sales executive Masanao Sasabuchi, with former director of Shade 3D development Sunny Wong also becoming a director of Shade3D Co.
New English-language version coming soon
Created in Japan in 1986, Shade 3D now has over 200,000 active users. English versions have been available since the early 2000s: first eratically, then consistently when Mirye Software took over US publishing duties.
The software has a pretty strong set of modelling and rendering tools, including a built-in photogrammetry system; plus character animation and some physics tools, including particles and rigid body dynamics.
New English-language version coming soon
The official announcement for the buyout promises a new English-language release in the “near future”, and hints that the new company will market the software in the West more aggressively.
“We are very excited about … the opportunity to build upon Shade’s great legacy,” said Masanao Sasabuchi. “Our new English version of Shade … is just the beginning of what we have planned for the future.”
Current pricing and availability
The existing version of the software, Shade 3D 14, is available for Windows and Mac OS X from Mirye’s website. It comes in Basic, Standard and Professional editions, currently priced from $49 to $499.
There is also a free iOS edition, Shade 3D Mobile, and a free edition for Unity, available on Windows, Mac OS X and iOS.