The Psychology of Sunk Cost: Staying Motivated

The Sunk Cost Trap: When to Fold on Your Game Dev Passion Project

We’ve all been there. You start a game project with a burning passion. Weeks turn into months, maybe even years. You pour your heart, soul, and countless hours into it. Then, slowly, the momentum fades. The initial spark dims. But you keep going, driven by the sheer amount of work already invested. This is the sunk cost fallacy in action, and it’s a motivation killer in game development.

Think of Mark, a solo dev working on his dream RPG. He envisioned a sprawling world, complex combat, and a branching narrative. He spent months building a detailed crafting system. But the system was clunky, unbalanced, and frankly, no fun. Yet, he couldn’t abandon it. “I’ve already put so much time into this,” he’d tell himself. He was trapped.

This story resonates with many indie devs. We get attached to our work, even when it’s not serving the overall vision. But clinging to a flawed feature or outdated mechanic, simply because you’ve invested time in it, is a recipe for burnout and an unfinished game.

How do you avoid falling into the sunk cost trap and keep your game development motivation alive? Here’s a practical three-step process:

1. Objectively Assess Project Viability

The first step is brutal honesty. Take a step back and look at your project with fresh eyes. Is it still fun? Is it achievable with your current resources and skills? Be realistic.

Common traps to watch out for:

• Over-scoping: The game’s scope has grown beyond your capacity.
• Feature Creep: Adding unnecessary features that don’t enhance the core gameplay.
• Technological Debt: Using outdated or inefficient methods that are now hindering progress.

Ask yourself: If you were starting this project today, knowing what you know now, would you still pursue it? If the answer is no, it’s time to seriously consider your options.

2. Define a “Minimum Viable Product” (MVP) Scope

If you decide to continue, drastically reduce the scope. Focus on the core gameplay loop. What is the absolute minimum you need to create a fun, engaging experience?

Identify the features that are essential and ruthlessly cut everything else. Think “vertical slice” – a small, polished portion of the game that showcases its potential. Aim to finish that.

Remember Mark? He realized his crafting system was dragging him down. He decided to cut it entirely and focus on refining the core combat and story. This immediately freed up time and energy, reigniting his passion.

3. Establish Clear Kill Criteria and Off-Ramps

This is perhaps the most crucial step. Define specific, measurable criteria that will trigger a re-evaluation of the project. These are your “off-ramps” – pre-defined points where you’ll objectively assess whether to continue, pivot, or abandon the project.

Examples of kill criteria:

• Failing to reach a specific milestone by a set date.
• Receiving consistently negative feedback during playtesting.
• Losing personal interest in the project.
• Discovering a fundamental flaw in the design that can’t be fixed without a major overhaul.

Be prepared to pull the plug if the project fails to meet these criteria. It’s a difficult decision, but it’s often the best one for your mental health and long-term success. Accepting failure allows you to move on to new, more promising opportunities.

Game development is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s crucial to manage your time, resources, and, most importantly, your mental health. Don’t let the sunk cost fallacy keep you chained to a project that’s no longer serving you.

Take some time to reflect on your game dev journey. Documenting your progress can help you avoid future burnout and recognize when it’s time to pivot. A game development journal is a valuable tool for tracking your successes, failures, and lessons learned. Document your project’s progress and assess its true viability using our Game Dev Journal.