Not the Update I Wanted To Make, But One That Needed to Finally Be Made

Hello all,

We probably should have had this discussion years ago; I am sorry for that. But we’re having it now. I won’t get too terribly nostalgic, but you’ll have to indulge me on this one.

Last year, I gave my best effort in reforming things to a workable schedule, and it didn’t work out. The reason it didn’t work out is because I been kind of strapped to a rocket up the ladder of life in the past few years. I formed this site and kept it going after I graduated from university in 2010. I’ve told the story before of how I fell into the genre, but it also served as a kind of balancing beam as I worked through a lot of mental and psychologic stuff I, frankly, needed to. Everyone has their own way of reaching Zen: this was mine and I did the best I could at it. But I always knew it couldn’t go on forever. In fact, in 2018 I was having a conversation with Micah Solusod and I remember saying flat-out I had no idea how I was going to continue doing this at the level I did. Fast forward a few years and we know I can’t.

I am happy to report it’s not because things have gone wrong for me, but rather because things have gone very right, very quickly. I’m in a great spot in my career, I’m back in Uni to get my Master’s, after several stops and starts I’m finally writing again and it’s not complete cringe and, for whatever it’s worth, I am genially happier than I was when this all started. I try to remind myself of that while I’m writing this because so often these sorts of sites end bitterly with the owners abandoning them. In that, I’m very thankful some of the things I wanted to do here didn’t pan out specifically for that reason.

And now I’m stalling. Let’s get to it.

As of today, the vast bulk of operations here on VNs Now are suspended indefinitely. All reviews, previews and interviews are done. I haven’t decided yet about the podcast or the YouTube page. If I can continue doing something with those outlets I will, but things for both need a bit of a refresh so the podcast doesn’t become ‘Ranty JP’ time and the videos continue to be solid. This site will remain here: hopefully in perpetuity. I certainly have no intention of giving up this space. If nothing else, it will be sort of a digital history book for the last decade or so in this subgenre and also as a launching pad for the videos and the podcast depending. Those announcements will come over the next few months.

There are so many people I want to personally thank for the last decade. Ayu Sakata and Micah Solusod are legit two of the best people on the planet and I wish them nothing but sucess. Tom Rothamel, I wish we had more meals together. Tom Grochowiak and the team at Moacube are amazing and I am still very grateful Tom agreed to be my first interview. Chief: thank you Chief. Not enough people know what you’ve done in this space, and I wish they did. Deji and Kitty are real ones. I wish I had been a better friend to you both (although in this space, that may have been more para-social on my part).  Lorelai N. Auro-Cyanide. Shadocchi (who I could always count on to bust my chops, hope you’re well). Ozzytizer, my old friend, thanks for being there. Matt Myers: I didn’t forget about talking more about musicians. Time has just been an issue, but thank you for what you have done. Chris Tenarium, Tryinmorning and Kristi: thank you for sticking with me during and after. Katy133. Cerise, Maddy and Giack for all of the support across several platforms. All of the people I’ve met personally and have forgotten your names; please charge it to time and my head and not my heart. I’m grateful to have met you on this journey.

And to everyone who has taken time out of their day to read this site, watch my videos, listen to my rants and maybe, hopefully, discovered something new along the way; I am eternally grateful. I apologize for all of the reviews I didn’t do, and I am thankful for the developers who were open to me reviewing their work. And, one final note on this and I will keep it brief as to not spoil the mood: there are demons out their that prey on good people. My constant ranting about it wasn’t because I wanted to be holier-than-thou. I just didn’t want anyone to get hurt. The monsters are still there as they are with any group. Please do what you can not to give them a place to hide in this community of developers. No one is perfect: especially not me. Just do what you can. That’s all life is: all of us doing the best we can with what we have, where we are.

As you’ve probably already figured out, I’m not active on the VNs Now Twitter page much more. But if you want to keep tabs, you can follow me at these links:

R. Zeitgeist (@RZeitgeist) / Twitter

TheVillainousJP3 – Twitch

It has been a blast to be the EVN Devil for the last decade. There are plenty of other people doing much better work and I hope you support them. But for now, since the curtain has fallen here; it’s time to step off the stage. But do remember: The Devil always finds a way to come back and never in ways you expect B) .

Joel Truss, also known as JP the Third; Out.