Yes, it's an interesting experiment indeed and for this they didn't have to fork the blockchain, like Weku, Bearshares, Golos, Smoke or Whaleshares did. It's still part of Steem ecosystem. If only people were more patient and more insightful, I presume some wouldn't have forked Steem at all. Wouldn't it make sense to have a Russian-speaking community Golos as a side chain? Or for weed-lovers Smoke?

Splinterlands (formely Steem Monsters) are doing the same thing but remaining on Steem.

I can predict that after HF21 some developers who will not be happy with the changes may create a side chain for their community with improvements as they see fit.