Pixar has released the beta of RenderMan 27. This version introduces XPU final-frame rendering, new compositing workflows, expanded shading options, and broader pipeline integrations.
XPU now supports final-frame rendering across CPUs and GPUs, giving artists faster image generation and improved scalability. Interactive denoising accelerates feedback during lighting and shading, while checkpointing allows partial frames to be saved and reused. Compositing features now include mattes, holdouts, additional AOVs, and deep data workflows, with Cryptomatte expected in a later update. Stylized Looks are fully integrated in XPU, supporting painterly, toon, and sketch-style rendering. New shading features include OSL display and sample filters, mesh lights, and MaterialX Lama support.
The update introduces multi-GPU rendering and initial MaterialX integration, with improvements to nested instancing, subsurface scattering, glass rendering, single scattering, and hair shading. Interior volume aggregates and expanded light filter controls are now available, along with OpenEXR deep data support.
In pipeline integrations, RenderMan 27 extends compatibility with Solaris and leading DCC tools. A dot release will add Apple Silicon native support for RIS. The release is aligned with the VFX Reference Platform 2024. While RIS remains supported, Pixar notes that it will be deprecated in a future version, with XPU positioned as the main rendering architecture going forward.
Technical improvements include faster texture conversions through OpenImageIO, improved GPU ray tracing accuracy, better subdivision mesh normals, and expanded denoising statistics. Performance updates optimize texture cache usage and interactive handling of complex scenes.
To find out more, visit Pixar’s RenderMan website.
Non-commercial with full XPU? That would be great news, I only tried a few versions ago and it was not available in NC.