Issue 128748 - chromium - [Regression] Unable to install extensions by running .crx file downloaded in Chrome - An open-source browser project to help move the web forward. - Google Project Hosting

First of all, we understand that this will be frustrating to extension developers, and our decision wasn't made lightly. We went to a lot of effort in the design of the extension system to make it possible for people to self-host. All of the formats and protocols involved in the extension system were made simple with the idea that developers could re-implement them. It makes us sad to take off-store install away.