Otoy releases OctaneRender 2026.3
OctaneRender 2026.3 extends the new virtual textures system to network renders.
Otoy has released OctaneRender 2026.3, the latest version of the GPU production renderer.
The update extends the new features introduced earlier in OctaneRender 2026 release cycle, making it possible to use virtual textures in network renders.
Updates to the big features from OctaneRender 2026.1
OctaneRender 2026.3 extends some of the major new features added in OctaneRender 2026.1.
The virtual textures system, which makes it possible to render large image textures that would otherwise not fit into GPU memory by streaming data interactively at render time, can now be used on network renders, not just on a local machine.
The trace sets system, for art directing renders by making objects in a scene selectively invisible to other objects, also now extends to shadow catchers.
In addition, memory usage has been reduced for the Neural Radiance Cache (NRC), used to reduce noise in renders, and support for open material standard MaterialX has been extended.
New Vectron Tube primitive moved forward from OctaneRender 2027.1
The update also brings forward one new tool originally scheduled for OctaneRender 2027.1, the next major feature update to the software, released in parallel to OctaneRender 2026.
Vectron, OctaneRender’s ‘procedural uber-primitive’ system, gets a new Tube primitive shape.
Price, system requirements and release date
OctaneRender 2026.3 is compatible with Windows 10+ and Linux, and requires a CUDA 10-capable NVIDIA GPU.
The Mac edition, Octane X, is compatible with macOS 14.0+ on Macs with Apple M1 and later processors, and with iPadOS 26.0+ on devices with A12 Bionic and later chips.
The software is rental-only, via Otoy’s Studio+ subscriptions, which cost €23.95/month, and which include integration plugins for 21 DCC applications, plus a range of third-party software.
Otoy also provides free ‘Prime’ editions of both OctaneRender and Octane X, which are limited to rendering on a single GPU, and which come with a smaller set of DCC integration plugins.
Read a full list of new features in OctaneRender 2026.3 on Otoy’s forum
Have your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we don’t post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.