A global animation software company needed to modernize a complex legacy licensing model that included perpetual licenses, support renewals, monthly and annual terms, floating licenses, database and server configurations, and credit-based licensing. The existing model created operational complexity for sales and finance, made customer conversations difficult to standardize, and limited the company's ability to drive predictable recurring revenue. The challenge was to shift toward subscription-led growth while still supporting studios with variable production needs, legacy perpetual customers, and mixed onsite and remote workflows.
- Designed a new pricing and licensing architecture that simplified commercial decision-making while preserving flexibility for different studio operating models
- Developed a new annual subscription model using fixed-fee volume tiers, replacing ongoing per-user adjustments
- Created a flexible plan for studios with variable or project-based staffing needs, using monthly user credits under a single annual contract
- Defined a hybrid licensing structure combining predictable annual capacity with flexible plans for peak demand
- Established new business rules for renewals, mid-term upgrades, co-termed contracts, and floating licenses
- Designed a subscription transition program to migrate legacy perpetual customers using a limited-time incentive, backed by sales team training
The project delivered a subscription-first commercial model with standardized annual plans, flexible credit-based licensing, and clearer renewal mechanics. The biggest wins were a stronger path to recurring revenue, a meaningful increase in support renewals to accelerate the shift away from perpetual licenses, a premium on database plans, and a clear economic incentive to move project-based usage into annual subscriptions.