QuadSpinner releases Gaea 2.3
QuadSpinner has released Gaea 2.3, the latest version of the terrain design tool.
The update introduces a new macro system, making it possible to package entire node graphs into a single node and reuse them in other graphs, plus support for 16K baking.
(Full disclosure: it actually shipped last month, but it didn’t get a lot of coverage online, so we felt it was worth covering here: we only spotted it when we were researching another story.)
In related news, QuadSpinner has also pushed back the original dates for Gaea 2.4 and Gaea 3.0, the next updates to the software, which are being developed in parallel.
Powerful procedural terrain generation plus artist-friendly direct sculpting
First released in 2019, Gaea is a next-gen terrain design tool, combining procedural workflows with a range of direct input methods.
The software is used for both game development and VFX work, with users listed on the product website including artists at Respawn Entertainment, Larian Studios and Wētā FX.
New macro system makes it easier to create complex, reusable procedural setups
The major new feature in Gaea 2.3 is the macro system.
It makes it possible to package an entire Gaea graph into a single node, then use it within other graphs, choosing which control parameters to expose.
The workflow makes it easier to create complex terrain setups, and enables users to build up libraries of reusable custom graph components.
Macros are referenced from a central library, so using multiple copies within a project does not increase processing overheads, and updating a macro in a project updates all of its instances.
Other new features in Gaea 2.3
Other new features include a ColorThreshold node, for generating masks from color values.
The existing Lake node gets a new Simple mode, which limits parameters to controls for lake position and water depth.
In addition, the maximum resolution for baking maps from terrain has been raised to 16K (16,384 × 16,384px).
Release dates for Gaea 2.4 and 3.0 pushed back
QuadSpinner has also updated the release schedule for Gaea 3.0, the next major version of the software, which is being developed in parallel with the 2.x updates.
Gaea 3.0 is now due in early access in July 2026, with a stable release around September.
That suggests that there will be at least some overlap with Gaea 2.4, the remaining release in the 2.x series, which will introduce a new ‘God mode’ for developing very large worlds, on which some of new features in Gaea 3.0 are based.
QuadSpinner had previously said that “every feature” on the Gaea 2 roadmap would be delivered “well before” Gaea 3 is released.
Price, system requirements and release date
Gaea 2.3 is compatible with Windows 10+.
The Indie edition, which caps the build resolution for terrain at 8K, costs $99.
Perpetual licenses of the Professional and Enterprise editions, which support higher build resolutions, and add a range of advanced features, cost $199 and $299.
There is also a free Community Edition for non-commercial use, which provides access to most of the key tools, but which caps export resolution at 1K.
Read an overview of the new features in Gaea 2.3 on Quadspinner’s blog
Read a full list of new features in Gaea 2.3 in the online changelog
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