LogInAs per the tradition, the devs unveiled the upcoming version's splash screen.
The Blender Foundation has shared a much-anticipated update on the state of Blender 4.2, an upcoming Long-Term Support version of the popular 3D software, announcing that it has officially entered Beta, enabling users to test out the application's new features and enhancements before the final stable release, scheduled to go live on July 16, 2024.
With Blender version 4.2, the studio aims to introduce enhancements to the program's animation and rigging pipelines, add the ability to GPU-accelerate the compositing for final renders, improve Cycles and Eevee render engines, upgrade Blender's modeling, sculpting, UV, and rendering tools, and add brand-new Geometry Nodes.
As per tradition, alongside the announcement, the team has also unveiled the upcoming version's splash screen, this time featuring an artwork by Blender Studio.
Additionally, the team has announced that development on Blender 4.3 has officially commenced, with a planned release slated for November 2024:
Previously, Jacques Lucke shared an extensive Twitter thread offering a detailed look at the new and improved Geometry Nodes that will be introduced with Blender 4.2 LTS.
3D Artist Cartesian Caramel also showcased Blender 4.2's capabilities with a series of experiments with its Ray Portal BSDF node, which transports entering rays to another location within the scene, essentially allowing one to render portals, create non-euclidean-style VFX, and more.
And prior to that, Digital Artist and Programmer Corey Corza offered a look at version 4.2's EEVEE-Next, comparing its lighting capabilities to the regular EEVEE and showing that the upgraded renderer allows for more realistic and lifelike lighting.
Check out the full list of Blender 4.2's features here and don't forget to join our 80 Level Talent platform and our Telegram channel, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Reddit, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.