Whether ESS or Vstep would intend or agree to share profits is doubtful, doesn't it? Their repective game and physics engines are probably different, even if both companies share the same potential community of gamers and a similar relatively narrow game simulation concept.
A superficial look at the new game seems to indicate that ESS's knowledge of ships is derived from existing simulation games instead of maritime expertise, and that they have no -or not yet- succeeded to insert correct (hydro) mechanical parameters in the equations of their physics engine.
It isn't really a big deal if their developers are aware of the issue, the physics engine is necessarily enough correct and accurate, but has almost certainly no adequate representation of water resistances nor propeller thrust laws, nor full simulation of rudder or wind forces, things that are too specific and useless in other simulations.
The only difficulty is that the relevant literature is so abundant, so rich in scope and details, that the basics can remain out of sight, lost amid concepts more or less right ot wrong.
ESS is anyway on track to become the successor of Extremes, one can hope that the ESS ship parameters will be accessible, like they are in Virtual Sailor or FS (or even partially Extremes).
Luc