Hey, friends. Soyez here.
Before I get into the details of what is happening, I would like to thank everyone who has been a part of tamaNOTchi. Whether you've been here since tamaNOTchi v1 (remember when I had to manually create each pet and then send it to you?) or if you've just stumbled upon this little corner of the internet today, I am eternally grateful for each and every one of you who has taken the time to check out this little project.
I am also very thankful for the many wonderful people who have helped out over the years. Whether it was help with code, art, website suggestions, financial backing, taking part in events, anything at all, tamaNOTchi would not be what it is without all of you.
tamaNOTchi was created primarily as a quirky little addition to forum signatures. It was just a little something to click and nurture while scrolling the likes of Gaia Online, Roliana, recolor.me, and other such communities. For almost nine years now (can you believe it?) we've been just that, and it's been fun!
However, we cannot ignore that the internet has since changed drastically. As usage of traditional forum websites continues to shrink, and with many of these sites no longer even existing, it has been very difficult for tamaNOTchi to keep up with the times.
Much of the original dev team has since left. It is only mostly me now. I have been very sick for over two years due to complications of Crohn's disease. I simply cannot give this project the time, love, and attention that it— and all of you— deserve.
There is also the financial aspect to consider. tamaNOTchi has never made any profit. The domain name (what you type in to get to this site) has always been rather expensive. At this time of writing, it would cost $46.36 to renew for another year. I carry an immense amount of guilt for accepting donations for as long as I have to pay for this while being physically unable to put any work into the website in return.
It is not my wish to plaster each page with ads in a sad attempt to keep it afloat. That would be a terrible experience for everyone involved. I would rather allow this project to be remembered as it is right now, with fond memories and with a smile.
For these reasons, tamaNOTchi will be shutting down on June 10, 2024.
tamaNOTchi merchandise will remain available on Society6 until that date.
Thank you again, everyone, for being part of tamaNOTchi!
- Tate Frost | alleZSoyez
