In October, Adobe Inc. held its annual event to announce new products. As executives stood onstage explaining changes to the company’s decades-old tools such as Photoshop that would make them more like that of Figma, the startup it had just agreed to acquire for $20 billion, some people watching the livestream expressed their concern that Figma would become more like Adobe instead. Messages like “#FreeFigma” and “Make Figma Great Again” dotted the comments section, while others groused about Adobe’s prices and shared tips about cheaper alternatives. Eventually a moderator chided everyone to “keep it civil in the chat.”
The event came a month after Adobe announced it was purchasing Figma, a deal it says is the centerpiece of one of the biggest transformations in its 40-year history. Adobe plans to complete the transaction next year, but that may be complicated by the revelation on Nov. 2 that the Justice Department is investigating the deal. The DOJ has begun talking to customers and rivals, suggesting a challenging regulatory review that could drag on for years.
