Hey, everyone. This is Pico, one of the co-developers and co-writers for this retake of Sonic.exe, along with the writer of all the below posts related to UltimateEXEFan05. With this game now out for everyone to play, I'm going to share some information I feel is really important for you all to know about this game and what it represents. Please take what you read here seriously.

For clarity, this was going to be mentioned a couple of weeks after release to let people discover about things on their own accord, but I feel it can't wait that long considering some people (not naming names, you know who you are) already took the idea of the game the wrong way.

So I'm going to get straight to the point and make something abundantly clear - Sonic.exe: The Incident (as me and others dub it) is a vent game, specifically about the desire for others to appreciate the work you do and the fear of overwhelming backlash just for wishing to get your creativity out there for the world to see. It's @NotSoDevyJolt feeling scared about facing destructive backlash just for being himself or doing the works he feels happy with creating.

The case surrounding UltimateEXEFan05 (William Ferguson) is representative of such struggles and worries Devy has been going through at the time of developing this game with me and a few others. Heck, he'd been through a lot up to now and has been feeling suicidal himself, with William representing exactly that. He felt like he wasn't ever going to be good enough, to the point he genuinely wanted to end it all...

Now, don't worry. Devy has not killed himself since this came out, because he's still got people like myself and his girlfriend, @xTiredHeartsickderex , by his side supporting him. I honestly feel that's what's helped him keep going through even the toughest days.

That said, just because this case is strictly a part of an ARG doesn't mean that similar cases haven't happened in our real life. There's several games out there (not naming names here) with implications that their own creators wanted to go through with it, and there's likely been a few cases where some did take their own lives after publishing their work online.

The character of William represents people just like that, who have been through a lot of stuff like that and had been contemplating suicide. Devy is far from being the first case of this, and I'm certain he isn't going to be the last person on Earth to feel that way.

With that in mind, I'm going to say this - you do matter and you are loved by at least one person out there. Ignore the voice from SM64.z64 and what it said after erasing Mario - everything is NOT better off without you. This planet won't get any better without you being a part of it.

I'm going to provide some advice here for those who need it:

• If you feel doubtful or suicidal, please consult a friend or family member that you trust to help you through it. I'm sure they don't want you to be taken away from their lives. Believe me, I've seen a lot of people upset by loved ones taken away from them through suicide.

• If you need it, there are a good number of therapists available that can help you through such struggles, but it's always important to find the right one for you. The image attached below is for a few numbers that will not get any police involved in your situation, depending on your area of the world, along with some for my own country, the UK.

• This also applies for the other way around - if you know someone who's been feeling the way William had, I strongly encourage just being there for them or doing some activities to take their mind off of it if possible.

• Constant approval and fame should not be what defines your life. You deserve to focus on yourself and your own mental health as well. Try to take some time out of your day where you can and do something to take your mind off troubles - maybe read a book, watch a good film, listen to some relaxing music, or even play a video game you find brings you comfort (and yes, it can be from any genre you enjoy).

I know I'm not the best with advice, but I hope this helps somebody out there who might be needing it.

This post is going to remain open for any questions you might have related to both the game and William's life, along with the aftermath of his passing. On Devy's behalf, I'll be answering anything related to the in-universe storyline surrounding this game that you feel you wish to know about.

Thank you for your understanding concerning this matter. It isn't an easy one for me to discuss, but I feel it needed to be said sooner rather than later. I hope you all have a pleasant day/night, wherever you are.

"These are the choices we make every day, and every time you pick the right path, difficult though it may be, someone, somewhere, is proud of you. I know I am." - Kevan Brighting (The Stanley Parable Narrator)