A long overdue update, and the start of something new.

To all of you, my incredible supporters,

It feels like it’s been a lifetime since I’ve truly sat down to write to you all, not just with a project update, but from the heart. For those of you who have been with me for the long haul, you know that from 2020 to 2023, this space, and the work I do as "Ace," was my constant. It was a rhythm of creating, sharing, and connecting with you all. Your support was the fuel, and I was so proud of the consistent world we were building together.

Then, 2024 arrived.

To put it simply, this year has been one of the hardest of my life. I won't go into the exhaustive details, but my world was turned upside down by some deep and painful family struggles that demanded every ounce of my emotional and mental energy. The consistency you had come to expect from me vanished, and for that, I am truly sorry. The truth is, I was navigating a storm that I wasn't prepared for, and in its wake, it left a quiet, creeping depression that I didn't even have the clarity to recognize at the time.

It felt like a fog had descended. The joy I found in my work felt distant. The passion felt buried. For a long time, I felt a profound sense of shame—shame for not updating, shame for not creating, and even shame for the work itself, as if it were a foolish dream I was neglecting. I was just... trying to get through the day. Many of you have stuck around through this silence, and for that, I don't think "thank you" will ever be a big enough phrase. You kept a light on in a room I had long since abandoned, and I will be forever grateful for that faith.

I want to be clear: I’m not magically healed or completely over it. The scars are still there. But something inside me has finally snapped. A few weeks ago, I hit a breaking point. It wasn't a loud explosion, but a deep, resonant crack in the foundation of the life I was living. I looked at my obligations, my daily routines, and the things I was forcing myself to do, and a powerful, undeniable thought rose to the surface: I am done.

I am sick and tired of doing things I don't want to do. I am sick of feeling ashamed of the passion that has been my truest north star. I AM PROUD of the work I do as "Ace." I am proud of the worlds we've imagined, the characters we've created, and the stories we've started to tell. This isn't just a hobby. This was never just a hobby.

For years, I told myself and all of you that my dream was to maybe, hopefully, do this full-time one day. It was a soft, gentle wish for a distant future. After a lot of difficult conversations, especially with my therapist, I've come to a stark realization. It's not a hope anymore. It's a need. A full-blown, non-negotiable requirement for my own happiness and sanity. I simply CANNOT keep going on, dedicating the best hours of my day to things that don't feed my soul. This drive isn't a fleeting wish; it's a permanent part of who I am, and I have to honor it.

Maybe this is a mid-life crisis. Maybe it's a spiritual awakening. I don't really care what the label is. All I know is that I have never, ever been more PANICKED by the vision of waking up 20 years from now, looking back, and seeing nothing but a wasteland of regret for the chances I didn't take. That fear is now a fire.

So, what does this all mean? It means the game has changed. I still have a few financial loose ends to tie up from the fallout of my personal life, and I need to be responsible about that. But from this moment forward, every spare second I have, every ounce of energy I can muster, will be poured into "AceX Game Studios." The work will no longer be what I do after I'm exhausted from everything else. It will be the main event. It will be my focus.

I am throwing myself headfirst into this with everything I have, with the unwavering goal of making this my full-time reality. Your support, now more than ever, is not just a tip in a jar; it's a brick in the foundation of this new life I have to build for myself.

Thank you for your patience. Thank you for your kindness during my silence. Thank you for believing in this project, and in me, even when I couldn't. A new chapter for Ace is beginning today. It's going to be intense, it might be messy, but I can promise you it will be honest and passionate.

The fire is back. Let's go build something amazing.

With renewed purpose and immense gratitude,

Ace

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/acex/hole-up-with-mia