3D Application Timeline

1986

jan
jul
oct
The Juggler (The demo turned into Sculpt 3D)
Sculpt 3D
Silver 1.0 (Becomes Turbo Silver. Later Replaced with Imagine)

1987

jan
nov
VideoScape 1.0
Turbo Silver 2.0

1988

jan
jul
.
aug
nov
Turbo Silver 3.0
Cyber Sculpt 1.0
Modeler 1.0 (Accompanied with VideoScape turns into LightWave)
Creative Environment 1.0 (Later Softimage|3D)
Sculpt 4D (Sculpt 3D with animation capabilities)

1989

.
.
.
Sculpt 3D XL 2.02
Cyber Sculpt 2.0 (End of Life- Author moved to 3D Studio DOS)
Real3D 1.0 (Later RealSoft 3D)

1990

.
.
.
sep
oct
dec
Real3D 1.2
Creative Environment 2.0
Alias PowerAnimator (First public entertainment oriented release)
Imagine 1.0 
3D Studio DOS
LightWave 3D 1.0

1991

feb
sep
.
.
.
dec
Real3D 1.3
Imagine 1.1
FastRay (Later Cinema4D)
3D Studio DOS R2
Creative Environment 2.5
Real3D 1.4

1992

.
.
.
.
LightWave 3D 2.0
Imagine 2.0
3D Studio DOS R3.0
Alias PowerAnimator 4.0

1993

.
.
.
.
.
nov
Real 3D 2.0
LightWave 3D 3.0
Cinema 4D 1.0
3D Studio DOS R4 (Later 3D Studio MAX)
SOFTIMAGE Creative Environment 2.6 (Later Softimage|3D)
Imagine 2.9

1994

.
.
may
.
.
.
PowerAnimator 5.0
LightWave 3D 3.5
Imagine 3.0
Cinema 4D 2.0
Real3D 2.49
Alias PowerAnimator 6.0

1995

.
.
.
.
oct
LightWave 3D 4.0
Softimage|3D 3.0 (Previously Creative Environment)
Cinema 4D 3.0
LightWave 3D 5.0
Imagine 4.0

1996

.
apr
.
.
.
Softimage|3D 3.5
3D Studio MAX 1.0 (Previously 3D Studio DOS)
Real3D 3.5
Cinema 4D 4.0
Alias|Wavefront PowerAnimator 7.0

1997

 
jan
apr
.
.
24. sep
.
Imagine 5.0 
Softimage|3D 3.7
LightWave 3D 5.5
Cinema 4D XL 5.0
3D Studio MAX R2
Alias|Wavefront PowerAnimator 8.0

1998

feb
.
jul
Alias|Wavefront Maya 1.0 (Replaces Alias PowerAnimator, TDI Explore and Wavefront Advanced Visualizer and partly Alias Sketch!)
LightWave 3D 5.6
Softimage|3D 3.8

1999

.
15. jun
jun
.
LightWave 3D 6.0
3D Studio MAX R3 (Changes name to Discreet 3dsmax)
Alias|Wavefront Maya 2.0
Alias|Wavefront PowerAnimator 9.0 (End of Life. Replaced by Maya)

2000

feb
mar
.
.
.
.
.
Alias|Wavefront Maya 3.0
Softimage|3D 3.9
LightWave 3D 6.5
Realsoft 3D 4.0 (Previously Real3D)
Softimage|XSI 1.0
Cinema 4D XL 6.0
Discreet 3dsmax 4

2001

jan
25. may
.
.
jun
oct
Softimage|XSI 1.5
Realsoft 3D 4.1
Cinema 4D XL R7.0
LightWave 3D 7.0
Alias|Wavefront Maya 4.0 
Softimage|XSI 2.0

2002

feb
.
.
.
23. oct
.
Softimage|3D 4.0 (End of Life. Replaced by Softimage|XSI)
LightWave 3D 7.5
Cinema 4D R8.0
Softimage|XSI 3.0
Realsoft 3D 4.5
Discreet 3dsmax 5

2003

may
.
.
Alias|Wavefront Maya 5.0 (Changes name to Alias Maya)
Cinema 4D R8.5
Discreet 3dsmax 6

2004

may
jun
30. jun
.
aug
15. nov
dec
Alias Maya 6.0
Softimage|XSI 4.0
LightWave 3D 8.0
Cinema 4D R9.0
Discreet 3dsmax 7 (Changes name to Autodesk 3ds Max)
Realsoft 3D 5.0
Softimage|XSI 4.2

2005

18. jan
3. feb
9. may
24. may
.
aug
aug
sep
2. oct
10. oct
LightWave 3D 8.2
Realsoft 3D 5.1
LightWave 3D 8.3
Modo 201
Cinema 4D R9.5
Softimage|XSI 5.0
Alias Maya 7.0 (Changes name to Autodesk Maya)
Autodesk 3ds Max 8
Realsoft 3D 5.2
LightWave 3D 8.5

2006

11. jan
.
13. jul
1. aug
aug
aug
oct
Realsoft 3D 5.3
Cinema 4D R10.0
LightWave 3D 9.0
Modo 202
Softimage|XSI 6.0
Autodesk Maya 8.0
Autodesk 3ds Max 9

2007

mar
25. apr
1. may
.
17. aug
10. sep
sep
oct
18. dec
Modo 203
LightWave 3D 9.2
Realsoft 3D 5.4
Cinema 4D R10.5
LightWave 3D 9.3
Modo 301
Autodesk Maya 2008
Autodesk 3ds Max 2008
Realsoft 3D 6.0

2008

3. apr
apr
15. may
12. aug
12. aug
aug
aug
Modo 302
Autodesk 3ds Max 2009
Realsoft 3D 6.1
LightWave 3D 9.5
Cinema 4D R11.0
Softimage|XSI 7.0 (Changes name to Autodesk Softimage)
Autodesk Maya 2009

2009

19. jan
20. feb
18. jun
aug
nov
7. dec
LightWave 3D 9.6
Autodesk Softimage 7.5 (Previously Softimage|XSI)
Modo 401
Autodesk Maya 2009
Autodesk 3ds Max 2010
Realsoft 3D 7.0

2010


... ...

Created by Daniel Ben-Noon
I hold no copyright over the links supplied in this timeline and I urge you to check out the sources of those sites and their excellent work in preserving history. Thanks to all of them.