We regret to inform you that after two and a half years, we have decided to retire our public chat room, which has been hosted through Victory Road Instant Messenger since February 2011 and through Victory Road Chat before that, back to December 2009. Existing active VRIM users may still be permitted to use it until whenever we decide to phase it out entirely, but this feature is no longer available for the majority of Victory Road users. If you are not able to access it any longer, that is why. The chat has proven to be both a significant burden on the abilities of our server, preventing future expansion without future costs, and a significant frustration and fatigue on our staff, who would prefer not focusing on the chat all day.

Instead, we prefer to focus our efforts towards the forums, Adoption Center, and upcoming projects such as VGVids and the Victory Road Gym League. We would propose for you to join us in these stimulating portions of Victory Road, as we’re sure that you’ll have an enjoyable time. However, if you do wish to chat with other members of the forum, you can always use our General Chat Thread or private messaging. If you have any other questions regarding this change of events, make sure to contact a staff member.

Well great...

I think that is all I should say but I want to say more...

... What ever, I will say more. Okay, so I get that you did this, and I like how much authority you put into this, but I think I would like to have been forewarned... I actually just had got into going there. I found out yesterday that I actually like it there (despite the other experiences I have had there). So I am sad that this has happened, but I am very (VERY) glad because like you said, it will put people into other things. Like RPs, ASB, The School, and the small things that mean things to other people. I also think this will help establish other things in the forum.

Another thing I would like to say is that I hope this doesn't make VR less popular. There have been many members that stay for the chat and never post in the forums. So with that said, I will do my best on keeping people here (because I love this site like you).

(Oh, god, it has been 10 minutes and no one else has said something. I hope I just didn't break another rule... SOMEONE ELSE SAY SOMETHING!)

Good luck keeping me here once you phase it out. It's all I do here nowadays.

While there is the instant convenience of the chat, it does have its forum replacements.
I came here not for the chat but to have a good time Actually, I didn't come for the forum, either. I came for a Brawl tournament, but my disc broke, but who cares about that?. Even if it does phase out, the worse that could happen is less instant messaging and less instant games, like Jeopardy. Everything on the Victory Road forums has its equivalent on VRIM, and even though this will be quite a strange thing to adapt to, I know Cat is doing the best he possibly can.
Whatever is going on in your head, good luck.

As any other big change anywhere else, this will come with backlash, but hopefully not too much will come forth from this. The lack of the chat will push some people away from VR, but the forums will gain more use as a result as well. I know for a fact I will stay after VRIM is long gone, and I know many other people will stick here too. I only see 1 major problem with the closure of VRIM, but it's entirely possible it will solve itself. Without an instant chat, all of the tournaments here will be a bit of a hassle, especially on tournament day. It'll be a bit harder to organize without a place where everybody can gather, but with time, we'll adapt. With that said, this is a true change in how everyone will view VR. Hopefully, we can remain as tight a community as we always have been.

*after hearing news, SE25 mtters swear words to himself*
Since the chat was all I really did, I might drop on activity when im on a computer

Dern kids needing everything to happen within the millisecond they do something. In my day we posted on forums where it could take minutes or even hours for someone to respond to a message you posted, but it gave people time to actually think about what they want to say and not be interrupted every 3 seconds and we were better people for it.
/old-man style rant

Each time I came on here, the chatroom looks more dead than the last time, maybe this would provide more activity on the boards maybe?

From what I've seen and read maybe it's mixed feelings with people on here, personally I'm never here because of personal reasons.

I'm not pulling any sort of emotional feelings toward this matter. People often try to take control/turn a conversation inappropriately and things just start getting dead.
That's usually the case towards new and returning members.

From what I've seen on different forums, a chatbox helps then hurts a forum. It helps by bringing the community together and allowing a quick method of communicating with other members, but then hurts by drawing activity away from the forum itself. With the chat being limited, newer members will be forced to use the forums only, leading to an increase in activity around the forum.

Also, for those contemplating on leaving because of their restrictions on the chat - go ahead. If the only thing you did on this forum was visit the chat, you've completely missed the point of a forum. It wouldn't make a difference if you left. I don't mean to sound harsh, but it needed to be said.

I still like the idea of the chat only being open on weekends. As opposed to being gone altogether like it might be in the future.

I was also thinking that during big events, or things like Pokémon Sunday or E3 and other expos we won't be able to quickly discuss our reactions to each thing in real-time. So maybe weekends and special occasions?

Yeah, when I first came here, I was on the chat twice. Once because there was a Brawl Tournament, and the next to celebrate the release of HG/SS with all of its music. (That second one is fuzzy, don't remember much of that) So I think special events are a good reason to keep it open for that time.

Wow, what've I missed?

Maybe this'll push me into the forums some more. I needed that kind of discipline.

I don't know, each time I went there, it was either deserted or nobody was talking.