I think the process of taking your time and flipping off the marketing managers is a good one; but I’ve also seen signs that if development takes TOO long, the internal creative momentum can kind of grind to a halt or even be overtaken as they become outdated against advances in game design.

The developers are generally gamers too, and the passion for development is often fueled by excitement for the concept - excitement that can fade the same way as with fans (granted, they have to be more patient than most fans). Sticking with something too long can even lead to low confidence in that concept.

I can be patient, I just hope their approach hasn’t lead to internal burnout.