An Official Statement From PSS

[Guest flynman3]

PSS Press Release - 16/1/2008In an attempt to halt the current speculation surrounding Phoenix Simulation Software, the closure of their web site and the lack of response to support and emails, I would like to make public the following statements.PHOENIX SIMULATION SOFTWAREREGRET TO ANNOUNCEThat the Company and web site have ceased trading.PSS have experienced severe difficulties both of a personal and financial level that unfortunately at this time cannot be remedied. The financial difficulties are mainly caused by the individuals who preferred to use sites like pirate bay instead of paying to support the growth and continuation of PSS and then clogging up our forums with technical support queries for products you don't actually own , You know who you are! As a result of this former CEO Graham Waterfield has been left with no alternative but the closure of the company and early retirement.However, I Antony Waterfield son of Graham along with an investment consortium are in the process of establishing a new company and acquiring the rights, intellectual property & existing customer base from PSS in order that we may keep the company alive and progress it to a higher level. This will include but is not limited to the following: * Improved more user friendly web site/ product catalogue. * Improved technical support sytem including knowledge base and ticketing. http://www.flightsim.com/cgi/kds?$=main/notams08/pss0117.htm

[Guest christian]

>The financial difficulties are mainly caused by the individuals who preferred to use sites like pirate bay instead of paying to support the growth and continuation of PSS and then clogging up our forums with technical support queries for products you don't actually own , You know who you are!How?!? Pirates aren't paying customers, that's why they're called pirates! Trying to make money from pirates is like trying to make money from shoplifters - not going to work. If you're really concerned about piracy read this:http://www.openp2p.com/pub/a/p2p/2002/12/11/piracy.htmlThen, get over it and get yourself a proper business model. If you're relying on pirates buying your software you don't have one...Sorry to be so harsh, but that's unfortunately the reality.Christian

[Guest simonmd]

This is what I posted on another forum on the subject, in responce to someone also saying they were just trying to point the finger.Sure, they will have lost some revenue with pirates BUT Wilco, PMDG, Overland, Aerosim, Captain Sim, LevelD, Alphasim, etc, etc. seem to manage and i'm sure their products are pirated as well.Internet piracy is a fact of life, I don't condone it but in every sector of internet downloads, music, video, games, software, etc. it will happen and must be taken into account. There is also an argument that a number of those who have got a pirated version would not have bought the proper version anyway if there was no pirate version.If the reality IS down to revenue, or lack of it, then they've only got themselves to blame. Ever since the T7 lauch fiasco they will have lost a huge amount of customers, i'm one of them. The way they were treated was shocking, anyone who dared ask, 'why did you release a Beta product that doesn't work properly?' was told to mind their own business and often had their posts deleted from their forum. I vowed after that sort of attitude that I would NEVER buy another PSS product again, no matter how good or cheap it was.I wish Antony well and would like to see a 'new' PSS trading again. Maybe they'll sort the old problems and build up some customer confidence again but that will take time.

[AWACS 12]

Unfortunately, it's called, a "scapegoat."Jeff

[altstiff 71]

They really fell behind in terms of quality the last few years. The 777 and 757 were sub par to say the least (in comparison to LVD/PMDG ECT).PSS used to be the leadear in quality payware. Shame.

[Guest]

They would still be here if they listened to their customers in general or if they updated the dash and airbus series to fs2004 standards (so many requests for that).... Their products not selling is not because of illicit use but because of failure to compete in the market. They had virtually no competition with the airbus or dash (majestic is like 100$ and lacks visuals) and they refused to capitalize on either. Their 777 still flies like a brick despite 3 service packs that every customer had to fight for them to release, and it lacks a cabin or updated textures, not to mention the outside model. I won't even get into the 757 really, a lot of the things they were told about were never fixed and they denied them being an issue and released it anyhow. Such is life.

[edetroit 933]

Ooooooo ...let's have an official statement from PSS about the 757 FDE. Then their demise will be quite clear!.Nothing to do with others stealing from them...in fact it's the other way around! :)

regardsEdaka Capt. P[/font color]i[/font color]c[/font color]a[/font color]s[/font color]s[/font color]o[/font color]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v640/edetroit100/Ed3.jpgMy FS9 Videos] AMD Athlon 64 3500+, 1024Mb PC3200 DDR, 300Gb HD 256Mb DDR Nvidia 7800 GTX PCI-E, Audigy 2 ZSViewsonic VP2130b 21.3" LCD[/font color

[out 769]

>The 777 and 757 were sub par to say the least (in comparison to LVD/PMDG ECT).>PSS used to be the leadear in quality payware. Shame.To be honest, I like both the products very much.Especially that I do not find any other comparable 757 or 777 around.They are not as perfect (?) as Level-D 763 or PMDG 744, but flyable to the degree that brings satisfation to me.I must say I find their panel bitmaps to be best-looking around (of course I know that is not enough to make a really good product).I put my words here as I am afraid an unfair picture of PSS products may be drawn here.They way PSS dealt with repairing bugs and treating their customers' complaints is another thing. I don't like it either and it deserves criticism.In my opinion that is one of the reasons leading to PSS' final closure.And as for piracy, as said somewhere above, it has always been and will always be around us. It is unavoidable.It should not be a reason of closing down companies otherwise none will remain.You should just make the best products you can, prepare the best possible antipiracy devices, accept partial loss and be very user-friendly to attract as many legal customers as possible.PSS seem to have failed in the last one.If they are to be reborn, I wish them all the best and I hope to see even better future products and better customer policy soon.Best regards,Rafal

[MarkRey 16]

Agree fully.Generally I also like to emphasize this particular point - it is no crime to NOT produce an LDS/PMDG level airliner in terms of systems and detail. That is not a valid basis for criticism imho, there is room for 'lighter' addons a la PSSregards,Mark

[Guest nihongo]

>PSS Press Release - 16/1/2008>>In an attempt to halt the current speculation surrounding>Phoenix Simulation Software, the closure of their web site and>the lack of response to support and emails, I would like to>make public the following statements.>>PHOENIX SIMULATION SOFTWARE>REGRET TO ANNOUNCE>>That the Company and web site have ceased trading.>>PSS have experienced severe difficulties both of a personal>and financial level that unfortunately at this time cannot be>remedied. The financial difficulties are mainly caused by the>individuals who preferred to use sites like pirate bay instead>of paying to support the growth and continuation of PSS and>then clogging up our forums with technical support queries for>products you don't actually own , You know who you are! As a>result of this former CEO Graham Waterfield has been left with>no alternative but the closure of the company and early>retirement.>>However, I Antony Waterfield son of Graham along with an>investment consortium are in the process of establishing a new>company and acquiring the rights, intellectual property &>existing customer base from PSS in order that we may keep the>company alive and progress it to a higher level. This will>include but is not limited to the following:>> * Improved more user friendly web site/ product>catalogue.> * Improved technical support sytem including knowledge>base and ticketing. >>http://www.flightsim.com/cgi/kds?$=main/notams08/pss0117.htmI know how you feel, these 'users' of products that they never bought #### me off so much. I paid for them.And my jobs over the last several years havent been the greatest. So I am proud to say I have only bought stuff I use. The PSS777 and PMDG737 and I met many ppl who just love to claim they bought cheap Bali stuff (DVD movies etc).I use only genuine products. I would use freeware if i didnt have brains, but because i wanted the professional version i paid for it.My credit card statement is witness to that.f111.blogspot.com

[greggerm 312]

I don't think anyone would condone or agree with illegitimate use of copyrighted/payware software - no matter who the publisher is.But I think as others have said, pointing the finger at piracy as the reason for the demise of a company is frankly comical.The revenue stream didn't stop because people were downloading their airplanes... the revenue stream stopped because casual simmers stopped flying FS2004 and picked up FSX! Most FS2004 airliner pilots *already own* the PSS airplanes. You can't continue to expect a revenue stream on a sunsetting sim platform. Sure, there are lots of enthusiasts who use FS2004, but the reason they stick with it is due to their preexisting investments in things like PSS. Nobody is purchasing FS2004 in stores these days, unless they are rummaging through a bargain bin looking for some cheap entertainment. Those folks are not likely to be interested in addons that cost double or triple the price of the bargain bin simulator.Nearly ALL complaints about PSS being down are coming from PREEXISTING customers looking to reinstall or retrieve their purchases. I don't think any of the complaints have come from "new" customers looking to make their first PSS purchase. That should be a good indicator to the Waterfield family about the current desirability of their product line... If it was piracy that knocked PSS off the market, why the HECK would they want to pick up and start over? Good luck,-Greg

[Guest simonmd]

Some very interesting a reasonable points raised here, I sincerely hope Anthony reads them here and on other forums and bears them in mind when/if he relaunches PSS.I don't think that FSX compatability was that much of an issue however. There's no point in making something FSX compatible if it still doesn't work properly in FS9!Sure, sales of FS9 itself must be low compared with FSX but that does not mean that FS9 is not a viable platform with no market. In fact, i'd go so far as to say that the FS9 market is still a great deal bigger than FSX as many people have returned to FS9 until their hardware can catch up with FSX.To see how important the FS9 market still is, look at other payware companies, PMDG is a prime example. Their long awaited MD11 was always supposed to be their first FSX only product, however, they've had so many requests from FS9 users that they've actualy put it's release on hold so they can make it work on both systems.

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

Simon,Sorry to rain on your parade so to speak, but your signature image exceeds our allowable size. It should be no more than 400 x 60 in size. Thank you for cooperating.

[Guest fabrytnix]

Piracy?Ok let's talk about piracy:very often I read this phrase: "No refound are given for this product"and is this not piracy?

[mgh 89]

No it isn't piracy. It's simply a condition of contact. If you don't like it then don't enter into that contract and it won't affect you.