After Maxon’s acquisition of Left Angle on June 5, 2025, a surprising and welcome turnaround has occurred for the motion design community. Following a week of uncertainty, corporate silence, and an abrupt server shutdown that left Autograph users and subscribers adrift, Left Angle founders Alexandre Gauthier-Foichat and François Grassard have finally spoken out. And the news brings a glimmer of hope: there is a solution to the licensing crisis and a future for the technology.
In a message published across several posts on the dedicated Autograph subreddit, where the community had mobilized to seek answers, the developers brought relief to users who had purchased the software license and were unable to use it, and hope to those who wish to continue using the software.
This announcement comes days after Cine Linux reported on Maxon’s cold and purely marketing-driven response. When questioned about the future of Autograph and the users’ predicament, Maxon replied with a simple invitation to their events, completely ignoring the situation. That silence, which we interpreted as a declaration that Autograph had reached its end, now seems to have been a communication glitch, although clear answers are still pending.
The message that changes everything
In their statement, Alexandre and François not only offered a practical solution but also completely reframed the narrative surrounding the Maxon acquisition. Here is the message, in full (as translated from the original):
“We have good news today. We have a solution for the licensing problem. Let us tell you that it has been excruciating for us to see your service interrupted when our license servers went down during the closure of our company. Let us also say that Maxon did not shut down our license server, nor did they discontinue the software—they stepped into a difficult situation to help preserve a future for us. We are starting to work with them to shape a plan to incorporate our technology into the Maxon ecosystem and can’t wait to tell you more about what’s to come. For now, please follow this link for instructions to resolve the licensing issue:https://revisionfx.com/autographdown“
Alexandre & François, Co-Founders of Left Angle
Analysis: From abandonment to hope
The founders’ communication clarifies two crucial points.
- Contrary to what the initial lack of communication led us to believe, the server shutdown was a consequence of Left Angle ceasing operations as an independent company, not a deliberate action by Maxon to “kill” the software.
- The technology may live on: The confirmation that they are working to “incorporate our technology into the Maxon ecosystem” is the most important long-term news. This suggests that the acquisition may not be just an “acqui-hire” to dismantle a competitor, but a move to integrate Autograph’s innovations into their products.
The big question for the Linux community
The immediate solution for the licenses is an immense relief, especially for studios like our partner Movy Audiovisual, whose projects were brought to a standstill. However, the statement about the future opens up a new front of uncertainty, especially for us Linux users.
Autograph stood out for its exceptional native Linux support, filling a critical gap in the professional motion design market. Maxon, on the other hand, has a history of focusing on macOS and Windows, with Red Giant (the suite that would be the natural alternative) offering no support for Linux.
The question that remains is: by incorporating Autograph’s technology, will Maxon also embrace its cross-platform philosophy? Will the robust Linux support that won over such a loyal user base be maintained and integrated, or will it be left behind in favor of Maxon’s existing ecosystem?
For now, the community can breathe a sigh of relief. Access has been restored, and there is a path forward. The immediate crisis has been averted. Now, all eyes turn to Maxon, in the hope that they will honor not only the technology they acquired but also the diverse, cross-platform community that came with it.
Cine Linux will continue to closely follow every step of this story.