Haven't checked all images and I don't think that they manually one by one changed the aspect ratio of the images. Does this justify their "cleanup version" procedure? Like with every IT migration or system change in a company. You never cut the previous tool or program immediately. Shut down the previous version when the new version runs stable and exceeds the previous version. This process can take month's, even years.
Yes, Dark Cookie did go back in manually and change every single one of the non-layered images - so the background images, custom sex scene images, other images - from 4:3 to 16:9. You could have gone and watched him draw along the two edges to add more artwork to each and every one during his many streams on Picarto. He didn't simply crop the old images, he added more art to fill out the display ratio (and updated some of the scenes, in the process).
As for the rest, I know what you are saying. I also know that Dark Cookie didn't want to do it that way. if he did, he would have done it that way.
The stable version is still out there and can be downloaded for people to play for free - directly from the official website.
It will be there until the preview version that is being updated is brought up to snuff with the content from the stable version (whenever or if ever it is). Again, can be downloaded for people to play for free - directly from the official website.
Instead of drawing art, writing code, and posing the layers for two different versions at the same time, thus doubling their work effort in doing so --- Dark Cookie chose to freeze the previous version as the "stable" version while they do whatever it is they do on the tech update.
Though, for 18 months (March 2021 to October 2022) they did kind of do just that. They added 40+ alternate and additional sex scenes to already sexed LI's over those 18 months with 6 different pre-tech updates. They had to do art in both display ratios, they had to code for both the old and new version, and posing had to be done for the layering in both the old and new display ratios. Then they said fuck it to focus whatever they were doing on the new version.
People can play the one they choose (or both, if they so choose).