"Not nice" is flippant way of putting it, considering the developer does not believe the 300+ people that gave them cash and supported them for the past 2 years are no longer worth their time.
A five minute tweet owning up to zero progress is worth more than another page of empty apologies.
"I'm really ashamed how late I've been with this update... You know that feeling you get when you know you should call someone, and you mean to, but time keeps getting away from you, and then it feels too LATE to call them, and you end up putting off the call even longer because you're embarrassed...?
That's the feeling behind this update. I'm so sorry, everyone! :( Barring some major RL catastrophe, I'll try not to disappear so long again."
This was last posted last year. Chances are they could be putting off again due to insecurities. Makes things less shady, but still just as scummy.