Why is Publisher being phased out, and what is Microsoft replacing it with? Will Microsoft 365 be cheaper since they are phasing out the program?

Whilst I understand the need to rationalise products and a conversion to Word or Powerpoint is possible, this conversion only works adequately for fairly simple Publisher documents, and has a long way to go before this method is an acceptable option.
There are so many things that are easy to do in Publisher but much more difficult in Powerpoint and so convoluted in Word that it is not a valid option.
Powerpoint is primarily geared for producing presentation slides and not desktop publishing projects.
Word is capable of good desktop publishing projects, but requires far more knowledge, planning and effort than Publisher.
I have found that the Affinity series of programs (Design, Photo and Publisher) provide a far cheaper and flexible option and is both available on PC and MAC/iPad.

Unable to find a viable alternative to Publisher, I found the only solution is to download an old version of publisher. When I retired and then downsized and moved, I unfortunately discarded many old disc of programs including my old publisher programs for which I held a license. So I searched for and alternative and found that on PC World.com I could buy a download with a lifetime license of Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for $47.99 that will keep Publisher on my computer even after Microsoft pulls it from Microsoft Office 365 subscription service. It is working now on my Windows 11 desktop. And should continue to work when Microsoft abandons all of us who relied on them to serve their customers who have used Publisher for decades. I don't care that it won't be updated. As long as the features it has now continue to work. Microsoft could have continued to offer publisher at perhaps an additional cost and manybof us would have reluctantly agreed. But they chose to abandon customer loyalty. So go to PCworld.com and purchase a licensed download and keep working with publisher as you know it. Good luck.

I have been using Publisher since it's FIRST edition in the early 90s. I used it for laying out a newspaper. I still use it. I use Word for text documents with minimal graphics. I use PowerPoint for slide presentations. THERE IS NO COMPARISON between Word, PowerPoint and the ease and capabilities of Publisher. Anyone who thinks they are remotely similar is sadly delusional. I'll be switching to Open Office, Google, and Canva for any new material.

30 years of files down the drain, soon rendered useless by big Microsoft's failure to support it's long-term supporters.

Not good news Microsoft!! A huge increase in subscription fees and in my opinion a downgrade to the office suite. I would be happy to use Word an alternative program to Publisher, but Words image handling needs to be greatly improved first.Canva will be my next choice otherwise unfortunately.

I have started several non-profits over the years, run my own business, and now homeschool my children. In all of these endeavors, I served as the graphics, flyer, and document designer. Over time, I have created hundreds of files and templates in Publisher (after transitioning from PageMaker). Unfortunately, these files do not convert well to Word, as Word does not handle graphics placement and layering objects effectively.

Word is excellent for text-based documents, and I have hundreds of files in Word format. However, Publisher has always been uniquely suited for graphically rich, visually appealing publications—especially those intended for print. There is simply no way I can convert all my files and templates to a usable format in Word or PowerPoint by October, and I feel it may be time to transition to Adobe.

I am deeply disappointed by this discontinuation and the lack of a patch or file transfer solution for loyal users—many of whom share my frustration. I have always loved Publisher and always will.