One of the original features of Platinum was that owners would receive special features. It was a way to differentiate Platinum from the other flavours of Sonar. We did get a few things last year but I can't really remember anything this year.
 
I'm not complaining, just wondering is it's still a feature. Cakewalk does change the game frequently. 

The AAS Ultra Analog Session 2 and Theme Editor are listed Platinum exclusives on the rolling updates page.

I'm not complaining either "that was a fair question"!!!!!

Agreed it's a fair question. The Lounge Lizard update was another Platinum-only feature. Some of the more "advanced" updates like the new linear-phase processors were for Platinum and Professional. However, only Platinum people were able to get lifetime updates. That seems like a fairly big "Platinum-only" kinda thing.

I really don't want to stir things up. I'm really overwhelmed with the pace of change and was simply trying to figure out what was going on. Earlier today I just about posted something for a forum member that he was not entitled to. It was an honest mistake, but since I posted my intentions, a host was able to correct me. No harm done.
 
I'm not looking for more stuff or complaining about the company.

3rd party stuff seems to be a promotional activity from the 3rd party. The AAS session stuff has also come with my Korg NonoKeys. I had the full AAS (Pre Strum) so it didn't effect me, but other like AD1, hooked me on to their products, and the 3rd party made some money. Breverb and ReMatrix, fulfill my needs, but the confidence in the company led me to get VKFX. To upgrade TH2 (sit on the fence about 3), but when I decided against the Sampling route for Bass guitar, having now been hooked by Overloud, I got the MarkBass. So I'd think these small incentives to pick up 3rd party stuff would still come along.
 
Developments in the program I expect that we are going to see these as part of the deal. How could they separate bug fixes and developments, when the two go hand in hand.
 
Stuff like the Engineering Suite, I don't know. I wouldn't be too disappointed if I am now missing out on these and they were now paid add ons, but I'd hope for an incentive price over someone purchasing from outside Cakewalk.  As they would be competing with the likes of fab filter. 
 
 
 

ampfixer
I'm not looking for more stuff or complaining about the company.

 
That's definitely not the way I took it. With the changes going on at Cakewalk, there could be significance to fewer Platinum updates...or maybe not. It seems that CW has been concentrating a lot lately on the core technology and enhancements, e.g. comping, plug-in balancing, and ripple editing. Once those are done, maybe they'll turn their attention to updates for specific SONAR flavors and we'll have a run of "Platinum-only" stuff, but I don't know. To quote one of your more memorable posts, "Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future."
 
Frankly, I was surprised when the new phase-linear plug-ins weren't Platinum-only, but CW prefers to err on the side of generosity, even though they get complaints about doing so.

I didn't realise that the linear Phase was available to professional too. Seems right to me for both the level and that it had been a bit quite on that front for development.
 
I was surprised theme editor wasn't available to professional. I don't think colour customization should be restricted to one set of users.

Lifetime upgrades/support is indeed a major benefit of Platinum, and one that is going to keep costing the company for a long time in the future. That is something that is far more likely to benefit all users than the scattershot bundling of third party plugins with limited features. If they can afford to actually provide support indefinitely into the future as the number of Platinum users increase, keeping that offer open indefinitely should justify the difference in pricing for most new or renewing users. But monthly members will not get that benefit at all. 
 
A bigger problem may be to keep users of the lesser versions coming back. One solution is to migrate the existing Platinum only code to Professional etc. But if you look at actual baked in features Platinum is not that different now, and many of the plugins that are different represent third party product that presumably will add to Cakewalk's cost. The promise of surprise goodies coming in Santa's bag was never the strongest argument for paying a premium for Platinum, but Professional members looking at a renewal are going to expect something new. 

Anderton

ampfixer
I'm not looking for more stuff or complaining about the company.

 
That's definitely not the way I took it. With the changes going on at Cakewalk, there could be significance to fewer Platinum updates...or maybe not. It seems that CW has been concentrating a lot lately on the core technology and enhancements, e.g. comping, plug-in balancing, and ripple editing. Once those are done, maybe they'll turn their attention to updates for specific SONAR flavors and we'll have a run of "Platinum-only" stuff, but I don't know. To quote one of your more memorable posts, "Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future."
 
Frankly, I was surprised when the new phase-linear plug-ins weren't Platinum-only, but CW prefers to err on the side of generosity, even though they get complaints about doing so.

 So true! Anyone remember the XLN pack really cheap last Dec. that was a pricing mistake? They honored it. So I retaliated and got Sonar4Life.