VMware has said nothing about a potential "workstation 18" (a.k.a. next major version) release date. And if past experiences have been any indication, they will not publicly say.
From past experiences:
- They usually release a new major or minor version of desktop virtualization products later in the calendar year. Usually in the fourth quarter.
- If they release a new major version, their policy has been to offer free upgrades if you purchased a license for the then-current major version within about a month prior to release of the new version. See https://blogs.vmware.com/workstation/2020/08/announcing-workstation-16-and-fusion-12.html and https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/90056 for past examples.
- Minor versions (e.g. 17.5) typically did not require a new license purchase. The major version licenses worked with minor versions.
If these same policies and timelines hold, a purchase today would likely not be eligible for a free upgrade. You would (again, assuming all policies remain the same) be eligible for discounted upgrade for a hypothetical "workstation 18" major release later this year if you purchased a Workstaiton 17 license today.
It remains to be see how this will pan out, though, given the Broadcom acquisition. They haven't released any new desktop virtualization product releases since the merger.
- Paul (Technogeezer)
Editor of the Unofficial Fusion Companion Guides
