[rhacker]

Toontrack’s EZ Player Pro was discontinued because it became obsolete, superseded by more advanced, integrated tools like EZdrummer 2 and 3, which offer superior MIDI manipulation, sound engines, and a unified workflow within Toontrack’s ecosystem, making the standalone EZ Player Pro redundant and its maintenance less of a priority. While no single official announcement pinpoints the exact date, its phase-out was part of Toontrack’s evolution towards consolidating features into their core drum software, moving away from separate utility plugins. 
Key Reasons for Discontinuation:

• Integration & Evolution: Toontrack shifted focus to building powerful, all-in-one solutions (EZdrummer 2/3, Superior Drummer 3) that incorporate MIDI groove handling, editing, and sound management directly within the main plugin, reducing the need for a separate player.
• Redundancy: Features once exclusive to EZ Player Pro (like MIDI browser, basic editing, and groove organization) were absorbed and improved upon within the newer drum samplers.
• Streamlined Experience: By integrating features, Toontrack offered users a more seamless workflow without switching between different plugins, as highlighted in forum discussions where users missed its functionality but understood the shift.
• Technological Advancement: Newer software offers better performance, stability, and features, making older, standalone utilities less relevant. 

Essentially, EZ Player Pro was a great tool for its time, but it was outgrown by the very products it supported, leading to its discontinuation in favor of a unified, more powerful experience. 

[Author]

Replies