I don't understand why this post gets merits.
Because some people have found it useful.
Because this definitely is not a rest. Hope everything is alright.
While it's nice of you care about him, you may be overthinking it.
I can tell my example: in the first month of this year I've got more and more busy irl (especially due a new job irl) and I've obviously got much more silent.
Yeah, it (strangely) partly overlapped with CM demise. So?
So there can be - I don't say it is so or not - that he got busy irl.
And it can be - again, I don't say it is or not - that he decided to take a break to avoid unnecessary attention (on the forum and beyond) due to Chipmixer's legal problems.
Unless he wants to say anything about it, we will probably not know and making suppositions (and waves!) is also not helpful.