What does CbB Activations end 8/1/2025 mean for me?

[Roy Slough]

I am getting this message when I start Cakewalk by Bandlab. Will this stop me using CbB after this date?
I do not really understand what is meant by activations, it is already activated or does it require repeat activations after a period of time?

Also can someone confirm this is 1st August 2025 (in UK this date would be 8th January 2025)

Thanks 

[Bass Guitar]

This user forum is heavily censored. If you really want to know what is happening look on the other blogs, YouTube and Music forums. 

I'm glad I have all my projects saved as Midi files and Stems already. I'll see how this Free tier version goes now my Membership has expired. I was going to renew it but it was $159. Seems only new members get the discounts. I friggin hate all this.  Not happy. Time to move on I guess. 

But I found out the free version is not a Forever deal. Bandlab has said this in so many words on reddit. 

[BobXX]

One thing is that free CbB "support and development is discontinued",

a totally different thing is the fact that it will be on purpose stopped working.  Why do this ??  Just eliminate the activation and leave CbB  working at user's risk !

A good marketing choice could be to have a downgraded free version (e.g. less tracks) and a Premium complete version, but not pay per use.

I'm using Cakewalk @home since it was just "Cakewalk" ~20 years ago, then Sonar Producer & Platinum (free and purchased updates) with a lot of plugins added.
Not for professional use.

• Within my band I used to use the "Top" version for myself to organize the main job (mainly preproduction and intros) and the free version for the other components of my band, just for their occasional remote contributions when working on the same preproduction songs.

I was going to purchase the new Sonar Premium, to get more features and contribute to its development, I'm happy to, 
but I stopped because I don't accept it will become a pay-per-use software and free/purchased versions will no longer work because of bad marketing choices.
It never happened in the whole Cakewalk history !!

It's a short-sight marketing boomerang, it appears to be blackmail that I don't want to submit to.

Hope to have misunderstood something.

Edited Tuesday at 10:33 AM by BobXX