Even a thin thread of hope is better than no hope at all. I'm sure there are quite a few people who were maintaining VIP status that would be willing to channel the money that went into their VIP subscription into this project as well.
I can't think of any other MMO out there that I have tried playing, that I would enjoy enough to put all the work into it that I have with CoX. Tried the other superhero ones (don't know if I can get away with mentioning the names here), and found the one, based on a classic heroic RPG to be highly derivative of CoH (go figure, as the same people created each); while the other, based on a major comic book universe, just didn't have the right level of playability IMHO.
I've sunk 7 years into City, and would gladly spend 7 more fighting (or committing) crime in her time-honored streets (and caves, and sewers, and office buildings...)
Thanks for the light at the end of the tunnel. I sure hope it doesn't turn out to be an oncoming train...
Bill R.