WinRAR has been an enduring internet meme for decades. Even though it kept reminding users that the free trial period had expired, the file compression tool continued to work and didn't turn people away, resulting in millions of people using it for years without ever purchasing a license. Now, after the release of WinRAR 7.23, the company simply went along with the trend, used this reputation to laugh at itself, and said that the latest version was only made because someone finally started paying.
On June 30, WinRAR announced the release of version 7.23 on social media platforms, and mocked itself: "Thanks to everyone who has spent money recently, we finally have the money to develop a new version! WinRAR has just released the brand-new and shiny version 7.23!" This post quickly resonated with users. After all, WinRAR has long been famous for allowing users to continue to use it after the technical expiration of the 40-day trial period. Unlike many paid software, this app will remain fully functional and will just pop up reminders repeatedly to encourage users to purchase a license.
This post attracted thousands of replies, and many netizens took advantage of the situation and continued to play this old meme. Someone asked "how much does it cost to release version 7.24", and WinRAR responded with a "one million dollar" emoticon. Someone also asked if the company would "throw a party to celebrate if someone actually buys WinRAR," to which WinRAR replied: "Of course, it must!"
The company also confirmed that an automatic "Check for Updates" feature was "in the works" after a user requested it, while another reply revealed that support for 32-bit Windows systems has ended with version 7.01. Others asked about discounts, merchandise, and platform support, and WinRAR confirmed that discounts are always available and reminded one user that the software is currently only available on Windows platforms.