~Amendment~

We also want to share that the staff member involved has not been part of the Santae Team since the incident and will not be returning. This decision was not made lightly, but after careful consideration, we believe it is the best course of action to uphold the safety, trust, and values of our community.

We understand the importance of accountability, and while we cannot undo the harm caused, we are committed to meaningful change moving forward.

Greetings Santae community!

Today we have several important updates to share, some bittersweet, some overdue, and some that speak to our commitment to doing better.

Ember’s Departure

After years of tireless work, our original developer Ember has stepped down from his role today. Ember’s passion shaped Santae from its very beginning and we wouldn’t be where we are now without him. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors. We’ll miss you Ember, thank you for everything!

With Ember saying his goodbyes, we’ve been actively looking to hire a dedicated web development team. They would take up development of the game to help with bugs, enhance performance, and bring new features to life. We may open applications on the site but are currently meeting external agencies to fill this role.

Acknowledging Staff Conduct Issues

We also need to address a series of regrettable incidents involving staff conduct:

A staff member deadnamed an individual, causing hurt and drama. Unfortunately, that member has since deleted their account, so we’re unable to apologize directly. We want them (and all of you) to know how deeply sorry we are.

There have been a few other lapses in respectful behavior that fell short of our standards.

These mistakes are unacceptable and hurtful. We take full responsibility and sincerely apologize for letting you down.

Staff Member Apology

Hi Jitterbug here.

I want to offer my deepest apology to Gwen and to all of you for referring to her by a name she no longer uses. I've been wanting to reach out to her for some time but noticed she'd deleted her Tumblr account.

It was not my intention to do so, and I want to offer a massive apology. I fully understand how deeply hurtful that was, and I take complete responsibility for my words and actions. It was never my intention to cause pain or disrespect anyone’s identity, and I deeply regret the distress I caused. Through the stresses, I reacted in a way that I never wished to.

Since then, I've been listening and learning. I want Gwen and the community to know that I am committed to doing better!

Thank you for your patience and for holding me accountable. I truly hope to earn back your trust and to help make Santae a safer, more welcoming place for everyone. I hope that some day you will find it in your hearts to forgive me and we can form new bonds. For now, I hope that we can grow and move forward together.

Our Apology

We are truly sorry for the harm and distress these incidents caused. Misgendering, deadnaming, or any form of disrespect goes against everything Santae stands for. We deeply regret that we failed to protect the inclusive, welcoming environment you deserve.

Concrete Steps We’re Taking

Stronger Communication
- More frequent staff check-ins and internal updates
- Better communication with the community on incoming features, events