As I said, this seems like a reasonable compromise; JetBrains needs some sort of hook to support the development of newer versions. Otherwise, JetBrains incurs

As I said, this seems like a reasonable compromise; JetBrains needs some sort of hook to support the development of newer versions. Otherwise, JetBrains incurs the cost of producing a new version, but then has no revenue stream to support it. In addition, if you keep upgrading every year, they give you a lower price than you would have gotten before. However, if you don't stay current, then yes, you'll pay more than you used to. JetBrains hasn't really raised their prices in five years and meanwhile the cost of living has gone up. Things can't be completely in favour of either party; there has to be a meeting in the middle. For what it's worth, I have no affiliation and I had let my license to IntelliJ lapse so was one of the aggrieved parties when they first announced the new pricing. This announcement however satisfied me enough that I decided to renew.