I'm not expecting a reply, public or private. I know you have your hands full, and I know you probably have limits placed on you with the legal proceedings and all. But it is my hope that perhaps you will read this someday and understand that as dark as things may seem right now, it was not in vain.

Back in 1988 I found out that I was pretty sick. It wasn't life threatening, treatment was available but it was a long haul to make my life manageable again. During one of my healthier days out and about, I wandered into my local software store and saw M&M 1 for the C-64 on the shelf. I figured, "Hey, why not? I have time to kill." I borrowed some cash from my parents and I bought the game. Not to sound overdramatic, but in all reality, that game gave me a reason to get out of bed on days when I otherwise had no reason to do so.

I made a full recovery, as I knew I would, it was just a matter of "when." Since then, I've played them all. I've loved them all. In 1998, I was working 80+ hours a week at a job that eventually burned me out. During one of my rare downtime days, I was in a local CompUSA. I saw M&M 6 on the shelf, and almost cried becuase there was no time for me to play it.

Over the years, Jon, your worlds, your vision, your definition of the genre has kept many of us coming back. I hate to think that this is the end. I hate to think that the series is over, and that now you will fade away into obscurity. In my heart of hearts, I know you still have great games and bold new worlds within and all are just waiting to be unleashed on eager gamers. Perhaps someday, we will again see your worlds, perhaps under the names Might & Magic, perhaps under a different name. Or perhaps this is good bye.

None of us knows what the future holds, and on some level I would guess that you are at one of those defining moments that comes for all of us during our lives. You need to follow the path that best suits you, Jon. I know that I speak for many here when I say that we all hope that path will lead to all of us meeting again in the future. But if that path is not to be taken, then I do want to thank you for all the endless ours of joy your games have given me. If that path is to be taken, then no matter how long or how difficult it may be, we will wait.