It is not complicated. It just seems to be hard to “klick in”. People confuse the grace period with something else. They most often ask about and want to do something where the grace period is completely irrelevant.
Maybe it is misleading that Steinberg (understandably…) talks about a “Cubase 10.5 Update sale” when in fact they sell license updates from existing licenses to any other version in future at the time of the activation of your bought license update.
In other words: You don’t buy a Cubase update license. You buy a Cubase license update. Two different things. You don’t buy a license for Cubase 10.5. You buy a license update from your current version. What Cubase version you actually get depends on the time of the activation of the license update you bought. All this has nothing to do with any grace period. The grace period is only applicable for licenses that are already activated.
Well, confusion lurks everywhere, so maybe a narrative will help. Listen to this dialogue, I accidentally picked up at the barbershop earlier:
»Hi Bawkeahrs(*)! I have a Cubase 10 license activated. I am now looking for a particularly low priced way to get Cubase 11, maybe even later versions. Can the current sale help here?«
»Yes.«
»How?«
»You buy the update that fits your current version. Look in the shop, the price depends on the version you already have activated.«
»As I told you, I have Cubase 10 activated.«
»Fine, dude, that would be 'bout 40 bucks for you. Buy that. But don’t activate!«
»Huh?«
»After buying the correct update, you will get an activation code. Just remember this code, write it down, pin it on your fridge. But don’t open the eLicenser Software and use this code to update your license.«
Later this day.
»I have bought the update from 10.0. I got the code. Did nothing else. And now?«
»Nothing. Just wait.«
»For what?«
»You want Cubase 11 cheap?«
»Man, I already told you! I wanna be smart and save some money. Me want it cheap, yes. How?«
»You just wait until it is released.«
»I heard people talking about a grace period? So I wait just shortly before it is released?«
»If you say ‘grace period’ again, I will hit you brutally with my rhythm stick. The f’ck’n grace period doesn’t apply here! You wait until Cubase 11 is officially released.«
»So I ignore the grace period?»
Thumbb. Loud screaming. Some nasty words.
»Okay, man, got it. I will wait until official release of Cubase 11, maybe even a week after that, to be save. And then?«
»And then you pick the code from your fridge, enter that in the eLicenser Software to update your license, download Cubase 11, install it. Start it. Have fun.«
»That is all?«
»Yep. If Steinberg doesn’t change policy, that is all. And why should they change it, knowing that I would hit them collectively and brutally with my rhythm stick.«
»Nice, man! Can I even be ubersmart and get Cubase 12 this way?«
»If you can stand it to wait until end of maybe 2022, carefully taking care of the code on the fridge until then? Yes, this should work.«
»Wow! And if I want 10.5 now and 11 additionally later? Maybe some more tricks? Using the grace period or something e…«
Ka-Thumbb!!1!-Ka. Louder screaming. Some even more nasty words.
»Okay, man, finally got it. No 11.0 cheap if I want 10.5 right now. Have a nice day.«
»Later, dude.«
(*) Bawkeahrs: Barber-who-knows-everything-and-has-rhythm-stick