Adobe Animate is shutting down as company focuses on AI | TechCrunch

"As Adobe ramps up its investments in AI, the company has decided to shut down its 2D animation software, Adobe Animate. On Monday, Adobe issued an update to the company's support site and sent emails to existing customers announcing Adobe Animate will be discontinued on March 1, 2026. Enterprise customers can continue to receive technical support through March 1, 2029, to ease the transition. Other customers will have support through March of next year, the company said."

"One customer, posting on X, pleaded with Adobe to at least open source the software rather than abandon it. Commenters on the thread responded with angst, saying things like "this is legit gonna ruin my life," and "literally what the hell are they doing? animate is the reason a good chunk of adobe users even subscribe in the first place."

"Adobe explained its decision to discontinue the program in an FAQ, saying, "Animate has been a product that has existed for over 25 years and has served its purpose well for creating, nurturing, and developing the animation ecosystem. As technologies evolve, new platforms and paradigms emerge that better serve the needs of the users. Acknowledging this change, we are planning to discontinue supporting Animate.""

Adobe will discontinue Adobe Animate on March 1, 2026. Enterprise customers can receive technical support through March 1, 2029 to ease the transition. Other customers will have support through March of next year. The decision provoked incredulity, disappointment, and anger among Animate users who are concerned about the lack of alternatives that mirror Animate's functionality. Several users urged Adobe to open source the software and posted anguished comments about the impact on subscriptions and livelihoods. Adobe described Animate as a 25-plus-year product and attributed the move to evolving technologies and a strategic shift toward AI-enabled products. Adobe recommended using other Adobe apps to replace portions of Animate functionality.

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