yes, that’s sound like me. I’ve been studio one prof user since version 3. I don’t like the new subscription mode and want to make a switch. And I see the 40th anniversary’s sale. Make a 30days trial. And decided to purchase the crossgrade. Got the download code, redeem it, but never activated it. Because the guy from sweetwater told me to immediately redeem it.
I still use the 30days trial version. And then version 14 is launched.
Check on the faq page, it said that user that activate cubase after oct 9th got the free update. Of course I got exited…
Unexpectedly… I don’t get the free update, because it turn out the oct 9th grace period is not only based on activation, but also from the day that I redeem the download code…
Quite sad though… but I don’t think that I cannot do anything about it…
The show must go on… LOL
There is a good logical reason not for releasing Nuendo at the same time, even though it is essentially the same code base.
Nuendo is targeted at the really professional users - the sort where software errors aren’t just a nuisance to be worked around and cause some personal grief, but you are looking at studio downtime and so on. Yes, there are some Nuendo specific features, but I’d suggest anyone who sees themselves as a Nuendo customer would also be the sort of person who already takes a very conservative position on upgrading - they already have a product to ply their trade, and learning a new version has time and cost implications.
So using a product where the wider user base has properly shaken down the code makes a lot of sense. It is somewhat different on the point releases where these are typically addressing known bugs where it does make sense to release these changes as soon as possible.
I have not read ALL of the responses, but I have read enough to make this decision. being a Cubase/Nuendo guy from version 3.0, and estimating spending over 2K in overall incremental version costs. including much frustration with activation keys and calling up Steinberg or e-mail and waiting a day or so until the issue is resolved… along with needing to reboot software every now and then due to downtime…, including issues with plugins loss in money due to software upgrades… and now again, getting dimed, nickled, and bad marketing techniques from them… I am through with Cubase!!! I will keep my current version where I am at with its bugs and frequent reboots… yes, I do not run on a apple but Windows which may cause the instability, but unless Cubase in the very near future apologizes to us long term users… say 10 years or more of service… and makes the effort to use simple database searches on users like me and directly e-mails, likle so many other comapnies due first, for special deals and first priorities… I am done with this company… Great thing wih capatilism, is you get to choose… And there are 2 or 3 other recording software companies I have been interested in that do not do these tactics and for my professional expertise and needed functionality out of recording software is much less in cost from the first time users… and their upgrades along with the software are much more stable and not as Nickle and diming, if no money at all… Unless, I get a personal e-mail from Cubase, I am done… the comments and logic of this listing has put me over the edge… I will give Cubase one week… that is all!!! Takis
Actually thinking about it some more, maybe the best thing Steinberg could do is state on offers “Please note, purchase of this offer for version X does not entitle you to a free upgrade to version X+1 whenever it becomes available”.
I’m pretty sure that’s the intent, they just can’t enforce it at the moment because of system limitations on the grace period offer, which has enabled some people to get two upgrades for the price of half an upgrade, and annoyed people who only got one upgrade for the price of a half (but could get two for the price of 1.5 if they wanted).
I won’t post again, I’ll be getting two upgrades for the price of two upgrades and I’m happy.
I usually do not so passionately post on blogs… but one more thought comes to mind to the pricing upgrade and technology upgrade tactics… Steinberg is treating us like we are drug addicts, knowing we will steal from somewhere to get the money that we do not have to always pay for their upgrades - whenever they want and whatever amount of money they can get from us… Again, unless a change in policy occurs publicly (either through this blog or an official e-mail to their buyer’s distribution list ), in the very near future… I am done with them, and i will do whatever I can in my circle of producers to wean anyone off of Steinberg products as long as I am in the recording/music business…
Hahaha, this is just ridiculous… 
Steinberg is doing a business, they have to have a regular revenue (like every other company on earth), or the company will cease to exist, and so will Cubase…
Having a sale is way to increase the revenues further (some that didn’t pay the full price, will at least pay a partial price), that’s why most companies are doing it. It’s just logical and common business practic, and beneficial for the customers as well, of course.
Or do you really think they should just give away everything they worked hard on for free? That’s just silly.
Do you really have to act like a teenager, in a mocking manner?
The guy just said that he has spent in total over 2k on their products. I would hardly call it “for free”.
I feel a bit like an odd duck here. I purchase updates, activate them, and use them, rather than trying to game the system.
I’d rather use the update features instead of keeping them in a closed box waiting for the next update after the one that I just paid for.
I could see maybe doing it if I was really hurting for cash, but getting an update isn’t like buying a new car or a house or something.
Best of luck to you who are willing to gamble.
I’d rather see more discussion about Cubase than pricing policies.
Seems obvious to this old frt, that if you want customers to respect you, you have to be clear and forthright in your offers.
i.e. Sure, advertise a Blowout sale for 13 but also make sure to inform that Cubase 14 is just around the corner and will cost you X number of dollars. Giving customers a reason to buy now at deep discount for 13 or wait for next version at higher price. Hence, nothing feels underhanded.
Poor PR on Steinbergs part!
Also, to add insult to injury, the Cubase Steinberg email marketing tone for the past months has been warning users that we have to upgrade to 13 if you want to be able to continue to upgrade in future as the licensing procedure was ending.
Carrot and stick approach to customers gets people backs up.
… of course, only users who had not upgraded to the new licensing system were sent these emails, as a courtesy. Nobody is or was forced to upgrade. How is that an insult? What injury was inflicted?
Please think things through before posting. You missed a sale. Get over it.
I’d have to agree with @Matthias_Quellmann on this.
Of course the 40th-anniversary rebate was planned so you can’t take advantage of the grace period! Steinberg is still a business that needs to make money. After receiving a 50% discount on Cubase 13 Pro it would be a little too generous if they’d also give you a totally free license to Cubase 14 Pro as well, don’t think?
Listen, you got a 50% discount on Cubase 13 Pro. If you pay the full price for the upgrade now you’ll still have Cubase 14 Pro for about 65% of the full price. That’s still a great deal, isn’t it?
And Like Matthias already said. You don’t have to upgrade right away. Take your time to explore and get to know the ins and outs of Cubase 13. Then if you want to upgrade later you can take advantage of for instance the ‘summer sale’ where there’s usually a deal to upgrade for half the price.
I just want to point out that just because the # of words posted in this thread is large in favor of [getting free Cubase, or removing the grace period, or prohibiting current users from being eligible for the grace period], it doesn’t mean those point of views are correct! 
I fully agree! The grace period should remain intact for users that bought a ‘regular’ license or upgrade!
This whole ordeal is about (some) users that already received a 50% discount on the former version that now feel disadvantaged because they are not eligible to receive the license to the next version completely free.
I think you are the one who should think things through before posting. I have read his posts several times now and nowhere do I see him mention that he missed a sale.
That’s one way of looking at it.
Oh yeah? Are you telling us, that if you knew, that your old eLicenser would be obsolete next year, and you had one last chance to upgrade/update it to the new licensing system, before it would become “unupgradeable” / “unupdateable” forever - that you would simply sit idly by and let it happen?
You might not understand, but I’ll try to explain as brief as I can, how I view the situation, personally. Steinberg is ending the old eLicenser system. It creates FOMO. They start September sale with some of the biggest discounts they ever made. How could you refuse now? You grab Cubase 13 at a great discount and you’re happy. Shortly after, Cubase 14 is released, which slightly undermines the last sale by making Cubase 13 slightly inferior (some might say obsolete), in comparison.
We’re not just talking about math here but also about human emotions - do you understand that?
@Aleque you’re dragging on about this in a very unreasonable way!
You already received 50% discount on Cubase 13. You can now upgrade to Cubase 14 and you’ll still pay only 65% of the full price. So still a great deal!
Why would you have a problem with that deal?
Why can’t you realize that asking for a free license of Cubase 14 Pro after this 50% discount is highly unreasonable?
And forget about this FOMO! This only becomes reality after you get a bad deal. And you certainly didn’t get a bad deal! And why would you feel that Cubase 13 is inferior to 14? If you can’t make music with the inferior 13, I can promise you, you still won’t be able to do so in 14.
Even if you upgrade to Cubase 14 now you still have 35% off the normal price!
So I really don’t understand why you are making such a big deal about this?
I don’t care about getting Cubase 14 update for free anymore. I just wanted you all to understand how some of us feel about it, instead of telling us that “we are wrong” about it, and we shouldn’t feel this way.
Before it was all about the injustice about why you weren’t eligible for a free upgrade. And now it’s all about ‘feelings’? About how unjust ‘some’ people feel about this?
Sorry, but you have to realize how unreasonable this sounds!
You got a good deal, and next you piss all over it because you don’t get another good deal on top of that! So yes! You are wrong! And you should feel you are wrong!
Next time, before posting something like this, first do the math to see if there is any injustice done here. Seeing you’d still profit about 35% on a Cubase 14 Pro license I can hardly see any reason for you to do so!
Aleque has summed up the situation well!
Having been in business for many years, I know first hand how customers should be treated in order to reward and retain their patronage. The way this was mishandled (intentional or not) has created deserved, lousy PR for Steinberg/Yamaha.
To me, the small sum of money is incidental, it’s the principle.
This thread feels like a parallel universe.
People who bought Cubase at its cheapest possible price, getting an amazing deal that many, many of us didn’t, are now complaining that they don’t get a free upgrade. Despite the added cost of the upgrade still being significantly cheaper than it would normally be to own Cubase 14.
On top of that, some are acting like Cubase 13 is now completely obsolete software, and they can’t possibly make any music until they upgrade. Despite the fact they were perfectly happy with it a week ago, and have the freedom to upgrade now, or wait until another offer in the coming year to save even more money.
It honestly feels like a purely emotional reaction to a perceived sleight that doesn’t exist.