It is something that we have to consider while we are making our games, but when there comes a time when you have to decide if you want to release your project, or not...it can be a difficult choice.

While it makes sense to share your game with as many people as you can, to get as much feedback as possible, there is also a downside to doing just that; visa-versa goes the same with releasing it solo.

Now, I am not talking about working on a game solo or working in teams, I am talking about releasing your game to the masses or keeping it to yourself / few friends / family / close relations.

So...let's go with the pros & cons of each possible scenario. Then, you guys can comment on it, kay?

SOLO RELEASE
PROS

Some of the greatest things about making games solo is the fact that stress is all but a shrug of pain--that holds true with this theory. I will tell you, stress is EMMENSE when your making a game (and it doesn't help with other activities such as job, school / college, life, girlfriend, etc.), so game making becomes very stressful for a single person / team to bear. When you release a game to various places suddenly a lot of people who like your project become involved and wish to see another game from you or your party; the stress could get to people and cause them to do nothing but work on their stuff and ignore their other activities. Stress is a HUGE reason why a lot of people don't finish and release their work, but if you are solo, that's something that is okay.

Also, solo allows you to just be yourself; although you won't get any feedback from someone, the question is, do you really need it? Some type of feedback can just hurt someone and a lot of people can't bare to take it with a grain of salt. Although, the project may appear great in their eyes, feedback isn't really necessary.

CONS
Well, a lot. Being alone and seeing others get a name for themselves while you sit on the sidelines can hurt a lot, but if you have a strong self-esteem, then you should be able to just say "**** those guys!" But it is all for the greater good. Also, you can't have an audience or expand your product to the community, your forced to just keeping your mouth shut. Although, one good thing that comes out of this is that real game developers HAVE to keep quiet and silence their feelings all the time; okay, they are not robots, but still...you need to learn to get used to it.

GROUP SHARING:
PROS:
Well...what can there I say about not sharing with others and expanding your product: it's great! But at the sametime, most people are complete bone-heads, and will do nothing but see you and your team fall to the ground. Still, having fans and someone care about your work can give you motivation enough to get your stuff done, but there is also that stress level! Still, some people can work with that...

CONS:
Your under the microscope for sure on this one! Releasing your stuff can have negative consequences such as stress, lack of motivation, and forcing you to forget your main priorities.

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A lot of us need to decide if we should keep our mouths shut and not release our work, or just go nuts and have some fun! While it is a good idea to release your stuff to the masses, you need to consider other external factors such as stealing, companies shutting your game down / IE: law suits, crushed spirit, increased stress, and tons of work load. If you can handle it, then release your games! But what about keeping a personal portfolio for your employers one day if you have to land a job at a gaming company? Well, if it is up on the Internet, no one will care.

Thoughts? Comments? Silly or not silly?

(Yeah, some of this stuff I just typed fast because I’m bored and I’m waiting for the Olympics to start.)

I'd have to say that people should release their games to the public, as it will help you feel like you didn't waste years of your life on this for nothing. I wouldn't recommend doing it just for feedback, or just to stroke your ego, as this is bound to come up shorter than your expectations. Also, I don't feel that stress is the main cause for uncompleted games, though it's more-less loss of interest over time. I'm sure we all hit that time once in a while if we do the same thing for an extended amount of time. For me, it's any MMORPG that I get drawn to... A month and a half in, I can't even so much as look at my character without sighing. One thing that irks me is when people think that they're the greatest thing ever, but their games don't meet that opinion. Leave your ego at the door, and let your game speak for itself. Don't claim that it's epic, or that its storyline and yada-yada-yada is perfection. I can guarantee you that someone like me will walk in, take a glance at it, and walk right back out laughing at such claims.

Essentially, release your games, give an honest description of it without kissing your own ass, and leave the public to come to their own conclusions on your work. Or, in the case that it's nothing but an embarrassingly terribly-written love-fest between you and your imaginary girlfriend, keep it in private or get rid of it ASAP.