Wait,so,M$ essentialy says:
We have put hold on the 3'd party development because we don't want them to stop us earning more money.
Of course this upsets some of the ones involved.
If the game will decrease in popularity we will need to get some developers to make lots of money for us.
Just my interpetation.
Harsh. I think that they are saying that whatever happens, they will control any expansion, even by others. so developers may be licensed in some distant future to develop add ons but they will for certain be marketed through the MS market place and MS will therefore get a cut and control the development. Its the Apple business model and it is a no brainer for them.
I suppose it isnt unreasonable. I would also object if I had created a game and only made money out of the initial sale while others then make money out of add ons. so I dont object to the business model as such. But I believe that MS should embrace the simmer world and third party development sooner rather than later and thus make this game grow faster and more succesfully. Sure, strictly controlled etc. This would also generate more revenue for them. They are not stupid. they know all this and I expect to see agreements with third party developers in the not too distant future. however one thing is certain, free add ons are dead for a long time to come, if not for ever in Flight.