The Game Dev Balancing Act
If you’ve ever developed a game, or any creative project, you know the moment: you’re almost ready to release, but there’s that lingering voice saying, “Just a few more features,” or “What if we polish this more?”
At Pencil, we’re deep in the development of Lore of Terra TD, our upcoming tower defense game. And like many indie studios, we’ve wrestled with the question:
Do we ship now, or keep developing?
Perfectionism is real, especially in game development, where your product is both technical and artistic.
But here’s the truth: no game is ever truly “done.” Even AAA titles release with post-launch updates, patches, and community-driven changes.
That said, launching too early can damage first impressions.
So how do you know the difference between shipping too soon… and getting stuck in dev limbo?
Signs You Might Be Ready to Launch
Whether you’re going for a full release or Early Access, here are a few signs it’s time to ship:
- Core Gameplay Loop Is Solid: Players can play, and want to keep playing, your basic game loop (win/lose, build/progress, unlock/replay).
- Feedback is Consistent: When testers stop finding new bugs or giving drastically different feedback, that’s a good sign you’re out of the volatile zone.
- Your Bugs Are Annoying, Not Game-Breaking: It’s okay if minor polish is missing. But if core features work and you can squish bugs after launch, you’re in good shape.
- You Can Clearly Communicate What the Game Is: If your game has a clear identity, it’s easier to market, test, and launch.
Signs You Should Keep Developing
Sometimes, shipping too early can cause real harm. Here’s when to pause:
- Your Core Features Still Feel Unstable: If movement, combat, saving, or progression are still buggy or confusing, you’re not ready yet.
- Playtesters Can’t Finish a Session Without Frustration: If people drop off halfway, you may need to refine onboarding, pacing, or UI.
- You’re Still Redesigning Big Pieces: If you’re still rewriting major systems or redesigning levels, you’re not ready to enter a stable build phase.
What About Early Access?
Early Access can be a great middle ground, especially for indie games. It lets players join your dev journey while giving you time to:
- Gather real-world feedback
- Validate your systems
- Build community buy-in
But Early Access should still feel functional and fun, even if it’s not feature-complete.
What We’re Doing at Pencil
With Lore of Terra TD, we are creating assets, developing levels and testing levels that have been built. Our philosophy:
Ship when the core works. Improve everything else afterward.
We’ll be updating our blog with pre and post-launch lessons, playtest stories, and breakdowns of what worked (and what didn’t).
Final Thoughts: Done Is Better Than Perfect… But Not Broken
Indie devs walk a fine line between ambition and over-scoping. The key is knowing when your game delivers its promise, even if it’s still evolving.
If it’s playable, fun, and stable, consider shipping. You can always patch, expand, and refine.
Stay in the loop:
- Read more of our blogs
- Wish list Lore of Terra TD on Steam
Pencil – We get to the point.