MudBox vs ZBrush

Conclusion up front: ZBrush was more popular than MudBox in overhall for Production but not for education, here's why: Mudbox lingered in some classrooms due to Autodesk bundles good pricing and the fact that the 3D scupting learning curve is much easier on MudBox. The turning point is spring 2015, when most schools and training programs *began* shifting from Autodesk Mudbox to Pixologic ZBrush.

These figures are extrapolated from scattered signals: ZBrush forum membership (~100k in 2008), industry/user estimates (~150k in 2015; ~200k licenses by 2023), and company-usage datasets suggesting thousands of organizations use ZBrush versus low-thousands for Mudbox. Mudbox shows a modest rise to 2013–2014 followed by decline and stabilization around ~8k users; ZBrush follows steady growth and entrenched industry dominance, reasonably reaching ~250k by 2025.

**Direct Answer:** The turning point came in the **early–mid 2010s (around 2012–2015)**, when most schools and training programs began shifting from Autodesk Mudbox to Pixologic ZBrush. By that time, ZBrush had become the clear industry standard for digital sculpting, while Autodesk slowed development of Mudbox, leaving it with fewer updates and less innovation.  

Timeline Snapshot
• 	2007-2009: One module during the one year program at Desgraff teaches 3D scupting with Zbrush.
• 	2009–2011: Mudbox widely adopted in schools including Institut Desgraff, bundled with Autodesk suites. 
• 	Fall 2014: Pilot courses begin teaching ZBrush alongside Mudbox.
• 	Spring 2015: Majority of schools announce ZBrush as the new standard in updated catalogs.
• 	Fall 2015: ZBrush fully replaces Mudbox in most professional-track programs worldwide.
• 	2016: Desgraff switches back to Zbrush for the 3D scupting module for new groups starting in May or July (?).
• 	2020s: Blender entered the scene as a free alternative, ZBrush still holds.  

Key Takeaway
The turning point was spring–summer 2015, when schools formally dropped Mudbox from their core curricula and adopted ZBrush as the industry-standard sculpting tool. Mudbox lingered in some classrooms due to Autodesk bundles, but by the 2015–2016 academic year, ZBrush had decisively overtaken it in education. Schools began dropping Mudbox for ZBrush mainly between **2012 and 2015**, when ZBrush’s rapid innovation and industry demand made it the clear choice for preparing students for careers in 3D art. Mudbox lingered in some classrooms due to Autodesk bundles good pricing and the fact that the 3D scupting learning curve is much easier on MudBox. By that time, ZBrush had become the clear industry standard for digital sculpting, while Autodesk slowed development of Mudbox, leaving it with fewer updates and less innovation.

Why the Shift Happened
- **Industry Adoption**  
  - Studios in film, games, and VFX increasingly demanded ZBrush skills from new hires.  
  - ZBrush’s **dynamesh, subdivision sculpting, and advanced detailing tools** outpaced Mudbox’s feature set.  
  - Recruiters and job postings began listing ZBrush proficiency as a requirement, pushing schools to adapt.  

- **Autodesk’s Strategy**  
  - After acquiring Mudbox in 2007, Autodesk integrated it into their ecosystem (Maya, 3ds Max).  
  - But by the early 2010s, Autodesk shifted focus to Maya/Max, leaving Mudbox with **minimal updates**.  
  - Educators noticed the stagnation and moved toward ZBrush, which was evolving rapidly.  

- **Educational Licensing**  
  - Autodesk offered Mudbox free to students, which kept it in classrooms for a while.  
  - However, ZBrush began offering **discounted student licenses** and became more accessible.  
  - Schools realized that teaching ZBrush gave students a **competitive edge in the job market**.  

For Institut Desgraff: The overall program was maintained in alignment with the industry with Substance Painter, which is essential to the modeling modules. Since 3D sculpting is a specialized and niche subject, it was deemed less critical, and as a result, the transition to ZBrush was implemented for Desgraff in fall 2016. All graduates dating back to 2007 have benefited from the complimentary free e-learning courses provided by the school out of care that included ZBrush and critical updates like Substance Painter.

Mise à jour des logiciels (lorsque le cours est en cours d'enseignement)

Mudbox à ZBrush

Changement du marché durant la formation du groupe sept 2015 quand Mudbox2017 semblait mourrir (voir Mudbox screenshot). Mais ZBrush prêt pour les prochaines cohortes:

Mudbox Forum Post (Screenshot to Text)

Message 70 of 75
FalconCrest in reply to: 0oFalconCresto
07-03-2016 10:04 PM

Re: So, where is Mudbox 2017?

I installed the trial version of Mudbox 2017 and even I am afraid to say that Mudbox is Officially dead, how do I come to this conclusion, as mentioned Mudbox 2017 has nothing new, it appears to be simply re branded as 2017.

I'm satisfied with the last official release of Mudbox (2016) I have many projects in the works with Mud.

Source: Autodesk Mudbox Forum

Photoshop à Substance

Substance devenu un standard en mi 2016

LinkedIn Conversation with Sébastien Deguy

[LinkedIn / Messenger chat with Sébastien Deguy]
David Deschenes – 10:14 AM
Just need to confirm something about the evolution of studio production pipeline history for my students: Did PBR artist software like Substance Painter become mainstream production in most studios in 2016?

David Deschenes – 10:26 AM
If 2016, was it at the 2.0 or the 2.1 release that you felt Substance Painter became a mainstream standard software to have for the industry? (Your answer would be very much appreciated)

Sébastien Deguy – 6:59 PM
Hello 
Painter has been a fast growing tool

Sébastien Deguy – 7:01 PM
and yes, I would say that 2016 has been a very pivotal year

Sébastien Deguy – 7:04 PM
but the success already was clear and trajectory incredible in early 2015

2016-2018 are the years it became ubiquitous including outside game dev

hope that helps!