Adobe Waves Goodbye to XD Post-Figma Bid: A Strategic Pivot or Plain Old “L”?

Not a Hissy Fit, but a Calculated Move in the Web Design Chess Game…Maybe.

In an unexpected (To me, at least) twist in the web design saga, Adobe XD is bowing out gracefully—or at least, stepping back into the shadows. Following a whirlwind attempt to acquire Figma for a cool $20 billion, Adobe takes a strategic detour away from the UI/UX battleground, at least for now.

The drama unfolded under the intense scrutiny of antitrust watchdogs across the Atlantic and the Pacific, leading Adobe to a sobering realization. According to Bloomberg's latest dispatches, Adobe has officially decided to pause any new investments in its UI/UX toolkit, Adobe XD.

At first glance, it might seem like Adobe's throwing a bit of a fit—taking its toys and going home because it can't have the shiny new one it wanted. But if we look closer, this move appears more like a graceful exit from a contest where the rules were changing fast. Adobe had already shifted XD into a lower gear, focusing on maintenance, following its jaw-dropping bid of $20 billion for Figma. Yet, it's not all doom and gloom for XD fanboys and fangirls; Adobe's still keeping the lights on for current users and remains on the lookout for fresh collaborations in product design.

Dead or Dormant?

Adobe's initial play for Figma sparked a mix of optimism and anxiety within the design community. Adobe XD users harbored hopes of a supercharged platform, marrying the best of both worlds. On the other side, the tech and design sectors watched Adobe's mega-deal with a skeptical eye. Figma loyalists braced for potential upheaval while market watchers and regulators from the EU to the US parsed the fine print for monopoly red flags. Meanwhile, XD users faced the reality of their platform getting minimal upkeep treatment—just bugs and security patches.

Despite the collapsed deal, the digital streets buzzed with whispers of a possible Adobe XD resurgence; even I thought they would revive XD for the simple fact they don't have a choice but to do so. Alas, those hopes have been dashed.

What's Next?

In stepping back from the Figma merger—after forking over a staggering $1 billion termination fee—Adobe's shifting its gaze back to its core strengths. The company is doubling down on its flagship products like Photoshop and Premiere Pro, alongside emerging tools like Express and Firefly.

“We are focused on the opportunity we have across imaging, photography, design, web, animation and 3D, as well as Express and Firefly,” stated an Adobe spokesperson, painting a picture of a future where Adobe reasserts its dominance, albeit on different fronts.

As the dust settles on this chapter of Adobe's adventure, the design world watches keenly. 

Will Adobe's strategic retreat from the UI/UX fray prove to be a masterstroke or a missed opportunity? 

Only time will tell, but one thing's for sure: the landscape of web design tools just got a whole lot more interesting.

As it stands right now, Figma is king by a long shot, Sketch is stuck in a place, everyone else is paying rent, and Adobe XD is dead.

RIP.