OP, you don't know how 343i is compensated... if MS pays on a per download bases, which makes the most sense, 343i will get their money and MS will take the loss for their mess up.
You can not make claims like that when you don't know how it works, nor can I; so, to anyone who agrees with the OP or whatever, understand it's pure assumption.
Also, note, 343i is actually a branch of MS... not a partnered studio. More reason why we can't say we know who actually lost money.
Also, people who purchased it have every right to be mad... they were ripped off; even if it's just "$8", it's that along side the whole situation that is messed up...