Unscheduled Server Maintenance -- 1.29.2012

I really do miss the IN GAME notices they used to always do I was resetting shop after getting a better location, without any idea of the USC coming, when the game went down. Now i get to wonder if i Lost any items that i was putting in my hired merch at the time.

I know, right?

It's not like it's that hard to give us a little heads up, especially in these situations when the server check is announced 10 minutes before it happens.
Clearly, the implementation still exists since they've used it sometimes in recent years (though rarely).

Could it be that they just bought new servers and are setting it up right now?

Lulz. That's laughably optimistic for a number of reasons.
For one, this is an unscheduled check.
For two, this is far too short of a time frame for them to actually pull that off.

Basically:
What are you smoking?