A new wrinkle in the ongoing Eagle Dynamics and RAZBAM dispute story came out today as we received word that the modules were being pulled from sale. Here’s what we know about the latest changes.
Not currently available for sale
News circulating through the community this morning was word that four RAZBAM modules are no longer available for sale as of this morning. The ongoing legal and sometimes public dispute between the two companies has been out in the public for about a year now and while none of the modules had seen a discount during the frequent DCS World sales, they had remained available for purchase.
Eagle Dynamics community manager BIGNEWY reported via Discord and on the forums that the request to remove them from sale originated from RAZBAM, stating the following:
After receiving an official request by RAZBAM to remove products from sale we have done so. All products will be fully supported by DCS and will continue to operate.
After some notes that the modules were still (and as of this writing continue to be) available to be purchased through Steam, BIGNEWY clarified that they are being removed from Steam as well.
Steam takes a little longer to action requests like this. They are being removed from Steam also.
The modules are still listed on the DCS World eShop, however, they are all listed as not available. This, somewhat ominously, is similar to the VEAO and the Hawk T.1 scenario with that module still listed as being on sale as well.
Unlike that scenario, right now Eagle Dynamics and RAZBAM both are saying that their modules continue to function. The concern, of course, is for their long term viability as the core of DCS World continues to shift but for the immediate short term it looks like they will at least be maintaining the status quo.
One module does remain on sale
The removal from sale appears to be affecting only the aircraft modules from RAZBAM. The DCS: South Atlantic Map by RAZBAM has continued to see updates in the past year and it appears to have been left out of the removal – at least for now.
The exact background of that situation is a little murky though it is known that the team behind it, contractors with RAZBAM, have also been working with Orbx on the DCS: Kola map. The exact business arrangement there appears to be unaffected or is sidestepping the other challenges.
Does this change the situation?
Given the ongoing nature of the dispute, the volatility that some are feeling about this, and the recent comments from RAZBAM CEO Ron Zambrano, this may cause further anxiety over the situation.
For the moment, I think it’s wise not to read too deeply into this. Many in the community have been suggesting that purchases of these modules are often not recommended until the situation can be clarified. I’ve seen many a community member, often those who are more casual to the community, ask about a RAZBAM module be talked down from a purchase and suggested to buy and fly something else. That’s probably a wise move, not because some of these aren’t fan favourites, but because we just don’t know what their long term viability are.
Hopefully this news doesn’t cause further panic though it undoubtedly will continue to contribute to the concerns shared by nearly everyone in the DCS community.
Ron’s recent statement, made just days ago, still suggests a hope for a resolution. That hope is probably doing some heavy lifting, however, it still leaves us with some hope that this story isn’t quite done yet and that resolution may be found. Fingers crossed!
Stormbirds 
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