Answers.. answers (Score 4, Informative)

From the Acquisition FAQ (warning: PDF):

Q5: Will planned product releases for Alias or Autodesk be affected and will Autodesk continue to support Alias' products?
A5: We do not anticipate any changes with respect to planned product releases for both companies. And yes, Autodesk plans to continue to develop Alias products and utilize the strength of the combined organization to provide customers with continued innovation and technology development.

Q18: Will Autodesk sell all of Alias' products?
A18: After the transaction closes, Autodesk plans to continue to sell all of the products currently offered by both organizations.

Q23: What platforms do the Autodesk® 3ds Max® and Alias' Maya software support?
A23: 3ds Max and Maya software products differ greatly in supported platforms. Maya software supports Linux®, Windows® and Macintosh® operating systems, making it the top choice for platform-sensitive segments like high-end film, whereas 3ds Max software is a Windows application that is used most often in world-building for games. We expect customers to benefit from the wide range of platforms upon which the combined company will offer its products.

From this info, it looks like they consider Maya and 3DS Max to be in separate market segments - which indeed they are. For cryin' out loud, Pixar uses parts of Maya in their workflow. Who would want to kill that? Maya's the crown jewel of Alias. You can't compare this to the Macromedia acquisition. This would be more akin to Macromedia buying out Adobe to get Photoshop.