Conflict has apparently been brewing in the world of combat flight sim development for some time now but today it erupted into a pair of clashing public statements by RAZBAM CEO Ron Zambrano and Eagle Dynamics co-founder and CEO Nick Grey. Here’s what’s been said and as much extra context as we can piece together right now.
The statements
Today we saw a pair of clashing statements come out, first from RAZBAM CEO Ron Zambrano and then later from Eagle Dynamics co-founder Nick Grey. There had been rumblings in the community in recent days and weeks but those whispers appeared to be just that until today’s twin statements.
We start with what RAZBAM posted to their Discord server at 1:17 pm EDT.
Dear Customers and Community,
You may have noticed that the that the latest RAZBAM announcements does not include a changelog or any updates for our products. We would like to inform you that, until further notice, all support for RAZBAM-developed aircraft modules is on hold. This suspension encompasses, but is not limited to, bug fixes and updates.
We want to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to this exceptional community, our current customers, and prospective clients. Unfortunately, due to circumstances completely beyond our control, we are temporarily unable to continue our work at this time. Our team, a group of highly skilled and professional developers, is first and foremost made up of dedicated individuals. They invest not only their expertise but also their personal dedication and sacrifice into crafting our products. For many, this work provides essential supplementary income or even constitutes their primary livelihood.
We are hopeful for a swift resolution so that we can resume our normal operations. However, until these issues are resolved, we will not be issuing any updates about our products. We ask for your understanding during this challenging period, a situation that RAZBAM Simulations did not seek and which has previously seriously affected other parties, for example Heatblur Simulations. We have been patient, perhaps too patient, waiting for a resolution from the responsible parties. Now, we find it necessary to take a stand and await a practical solution to this deadlock.
I also want to extend my heartfelt thanks to my fellow third-party developers. Their support, once aware of the relevant facts, has been overwhelming. Thank you for elevating DCS to new heights; it truly wouldn’t be the remarkable experience it is without your contributions.
The suspension will remain in effect until the significant issues between Eagle Dynamics and RAZBAM Simulations LLC are resolved to our mutual satisfaction. Once these issues have been addressed, we will resume our standard practices of bug fixing, updates, and upgrades, just as we have since our inception as developers for DCS. We hope this resolution results in a more stable and optimistic future for DCS and all 3rd Party Developers.
Best regards
Ron Zambrano, CEO, RAZBAM Simulations, LLC (posted by RAZBAM_prowler on the RAZBAM Discord)
A significant statement clearly though I want to point out that there is a conciliatory layer to this as RAZBAM and Ron in particular states that they want a practical solution to whatever deadlock they are having with Eagle Dynamics.
That statement swept through the community quickly and by 4:20 pm EDT we had the following response from Eagle Dynamics CEO Nick Grey.
Following the message published by Ron Zambrano of Razbam Simulations, we believe that it is necessary to rectify some of the unfounded allegations and to reassure the Community that everything is being done to resolve the current situation promptly and for the benefit of all concerned.
Without entering into the details of matters that are confidential to the parties, we firmly reject the allegations that the current disagreement between Eagle Dynamics and Razbam Simulations would be as stated by Razbam “due to circumstances completely beyond our control” and that it is “a situation that Razbam Simulations did not seek”.
On the contrary, the current disagreement is the result of improper actions that have been taken by Razbam Simulations, in breach of its contractual obligations towards our company and of our legally protected IP rights, and for which we are seeking a reasonable and forward-looking commercial outcome rather than entertaining legal claims.
We very much regret that Ron Zambrano has decided, without even pre-advising us, to make these disparaging public statements and, more importantly, to take the customers of the Razbam developed aircraft as leverage in the discussions with us.
Please rest assured, we are addressing the situation with the utmost attention and constructiveness.
Many thanks and kind regards,
Nick Grey (shared by ED Community Manager on the DCS by Eagle Dynamics Discord)
In addition to these statements, we’ve heard various messages from developers with RAZBAM on the issue that seem to range on what the dispute is in relation to. One developer with RAZBAM posted on r/Hoggit with the following:
Hi all I have decided to halt developing for DCS indefinitely. This was the final straw. We have not been paid up to date (many months worth) and this is incredibly insulting to see this statement. I wish you all the best. Thanks!
CptSmiley on r/Hoggit
A concerning tidbit there with regards to not being paid for the work that they have been doing.
Meanwhile, with Heatblur’s name being dropped in Ron’s statement a moderator on the Heatblur Discord reported that at that moment they didn’t have any comments to make on the dispute and called for calm.
Community reaction and what happens now
The DCS World community are caught in a difficult situation now where there are serious and significant disputes between the businesses that provide us with a lot of content and flight sim enjoyment. Community reaction has, as I said at the top, fast moving and the conversations are flowing fast and furious with everyone looking to weigh in on what appears to be a complex situation.
There are fears, of course, that a significant piece of the catalogue of DCS World modules is now in jeopardy. There have been comparisons to VEAO, the company that infamously released the DCS: Hawk T1, and then later pulled out completely leaving everyone in a difficult spot. There are apparently steps that Eagle Dynamics put in place to prevent that situation in the future, however, there are also disputes back and forth in the community on that too. Anxiety on what happens next is running high.
Without overgeneralizing the situation and the statements too much there is both an escalation and potential for deescalation. The escalation is of course that this is now a matter of public dispute. In the backrooms and private discussions between companies, its not unusual for there to be disputes and even serious disputes that result. Both messages, although potentially offering fuel to escalate further, do offer some willingness to negotiate and a desire to resolve the situation. Hope for deescalation is contained within these messages.
The situation revealed today is obviously serious and significant. We are not party to the full nature of the dispute nor the language of the business agreements that both companies have with each other. Nor would that be our business directly. That makes weighing in on this situation, beyond the statements we have, difficult to say the least.
Hopefully both parties can find common ground, find solutions that work, and take the discussion back to a point where development and smooth operation can resume. RAZBAM’s contributions to DCS World have been significant and I and, I suspect, many of you would like to see continue. Their F-15E, their most recent early access release, is an excellent module already but it needs development to continue in order to reach its full potential. If some devs are already leaving, the situation that does suggest delays are possible at the very least.
I fear what happens if it is not dealt with and the situation gets worse. Let’s hope that things are resolved in a constructive way.
Stormbirds 
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