So we all know that Nuendo is due a big update that will include all the Cubase 10 improvements. Naturally, Steinberg is not going to tell us too much right now, they’ve been consistently quiet about their specific plans. But we do have past patterns to make predictions. So I’m going to have some fun predicting that the next Nuendo will be released in March 2019! Yes, March 2019! I don’t have any info to confirm that, but here’s my reasoning:
There’s typically a 4-6 month lag on these larger kinds of updates when Nuendo gets the big new features of Cubase… and so that window is coming up soon. C10 launched on Nov 13, earlier than prior years, so it’s very plausible that a March release for Nuendo might happen, if history is any indicator.
While the more recent releases of Nuendo have been in June (Nuendo 7 in June 2015, Nuendo 8 in June 2017 if I recall), it’s clear that Steinberg has accelerated their release schedule a bit, at least on Cubase… and it makes sense that this might roll into Nuendo too.
Steinberg has often used GDC as a platform to show or preview Nuendo features… and GDC 2019 is March 18-22. In past big releases, they’ve done previews at GDC, but if they are operating on a slightly accelerated schedule, they may do the full release by March 18 or very shortly thereafter instead of waiting for June.
3b) But on top of that, I think that Steinberg might be getting cautious about associating Nuendo too much with GDC, so I think they’re not going to make it all about GDC this year, and spread the love around a little more. So we might see an announcement sooner than GDC, and a full release BY GDC. In any case, I think we’re going to get an earlier release than June 2019.
Very notably, Steinberg has already publicly committed to a Q1 release of Cubase 10’s ARA2 feature… and that will round out the whole Cubase 10 feature list. That’s a major, highly anticipated feature that a lot of us have been waiting for, and assuming they’re still on target for Q1, it would make a lot of sense for a big simultaneous (or near-simultaneous) Nuendo announcement with the promised ARA2 update for Cubase 10.
To further the logic for #4 above, it seems very unlikely to me that there will be a large gap between the Cubase 10 ARA2 release and the next Nuendo release, since I think Nuendo users will likely be very unhappy that Cubase 10 not only got all those great features at launch in November 2018, but also ARA2 before Nuendo, which will rub some Nuendo users the wrong way IMO! So I think Steinberg will play the smart move and keep the next Nuendo release simultaneous (or near simultaneous) with Cubase 10 ARA2.
Lastly, and to continue the logic from #4 and #5, it seems very unlikely to me that Steinberg will wait very long for the next Nuendo release because I have definitely noticed some grumbling (more than usual) from some corners that are calling into question (yet again) of the overlap between Cubase and Nuendo… but this grumbling is backed up with the very clear additions to Cubase 10 of several previously-exclusive Nuendo features, more than usual. So the lines have grown more blurry than usual between the products for some project workflows… and thus, I think Steinberg will not wait very long to make the next leapfrog release over Cubase to maintain a product differentiation. Cubase 10 is now clearly viable for some post production tasks that were the exclusive territory of Nuendo before… and Steinberg is not blind to this, and has surely planned for this. So I am predicting a bunch of post- and gaming- oriented features that will clearly draw the lines again… and sooner rather than later.
So there’s my logic. My prediction is that it’s going to be a very big release… not just a facelift with Cubase 10 features. I predict it will be a serious upgrade and it will be called Nuendo 9 (not Nuendo 8.5), launching around GDC 2019 or very shortly thereafter. And BTW, I don’t have any other info to back that up, and I’m just posting this out of good humor and having a little fun.
Any other predictions?
EDIT: Changed title to reflect news from Timo about Nuendo 10! (see page 3)
Just on the ARA2 topic; I fully expect to see a note from SB pop up in the Cubase forums, a week or two into March, quietly announcing a delay of its integration, out to Q2.
Hope I’m wrong, but just got a feeling they’ve underestimated how much work is involved to get this working and working well in Cubendo. For example, I’ve noticed the Reaper devs have been through lots of back and forth over the last many months, to finally get their working version out the door.
What that does to impact a Nuendo update, I don’t know… you make some good points. I’d agree, some sort of announcement/showing at GDC has to be a likely target, with a release soon after.
And, when are these darn video engine updates coming…? Replace audio in video, and/or video export; what about more codec support, etc… Have you guys got your ‘punches and streamers’ (overlays) for your ADR work yet…?
Yeah, I saw some of the Reaper ARA situation play out in the Reaper forums… good point and I hope you’re wrong about a possible Steinberg delay. One would imagine they would have learned not to announce dates and miss them by now, after all the heat in recent years… but you’re right that they do have a historical track record.
Maybe it’s just wishful thinking on my part, but it would be pretty bad form for them to announce ARA2 support all the way back in November for Cubase 10 and push it back beyond Q1. So I’m feeling more optimistic. I think they’re closer to launch. They’ve had a long time and it certainly wasn’t a last minute decision for them to add ARA2. So they must have been working on it for at least a year. And compared to Reaper’s very small/tight team of Justin and Schwa, Steinberg has a relatively large team of devs, and Munich and Hamburg are a lot closer together, so I’m sure Steinberg and Celemony have been doing a lot of talking in the same time zone and language… I’m sure that helps a bit.
In any case, I seriously don’t think they’ll release ARA2 for Cubase separately from a Nuendo announcement. No ARA2 for Cubase, then no Nuendo 9 IMO.
Very true… there should be more video engine updates soon too! Nuendo 9: big video updates!
Apologies - just a humble Cubase user here…! Threw this in, to see how you all are being looked after; I remember the topic (ADR video overlay stuff) being talked about as an ‘active future feature’ a while back… Glad to see things have moved on.
Fantastic to hear! Thanks, Timo! Well, I guess I’ll be ready to upgrade in March!
In all seriousness, since I’m sure you aren’t confirming the release time (or are you!!!), I do think this is going to be a big one. You put a lot of previously-exclusive Nuendo features into Cubase 10… I can’t wait to see what big improvements you bring to Nuendo 9. Hopefully not as game-focused… the post production people would like more love too…
The only thing I know is that Nuendo 9 will not exist. Instead Nuendo 10 will come out.
Probably it’s because they want to match versions (Cubase 10 and Nuendo 10) which makes sense.
I think you’re on to something! GDC starts March 17 or 18, and it would make a lot of sense for them to drop the announcement before they demo it at GDC… and Steinberg has used Thursdays before for announcements… so Thursday March 14 seems very plausible…
No way. Makes much more sense to release it on March 20, the Spring Solstice and first day of Spring. Astrologically, this would make much more sense. Even though GDC would be over.
