No, the post title is not a pun about us getting on Steam.
Rather, I’m very excited to announce that I’ll be working on Starfarer full-time from now on.
Last week was the last at my full-time job. For a few weeks before, I’d agonized over the decision to quit. On the one hand, the security of a regular paycheck and working for a great company. On the other, a small glimpse of a possible future for Starfarer afforded by the absolutely incredible reception of the alpha release.
I’ve tried for quite a while to verbalize exactly why I finally decided to quit, and was having a hard time picking out a reason that doesn’t sound like something out of a self-help guide. “Follow your dream!”… pshaw. There certainly was some of that, but would I give up my job and take a leap into the unknown “just” to do that? I’d love to say yes, but I honestly can’t. The reality was less uplifting and inspirational.
After a year and a half of working long nights and weekends, I was, well, tired. The whirlwind of activity after the release, while still working full-time, was more than I could handle. I got extremely burned out, stressed, irritable, you name it. Also a bit delirious due to the lack of sleep. Walking around, muttering to myself. I’m pretty sure I even heard voices once – which made me sympathize with people that do on a regular basis – it’s very unnerving.
Let me share a tweet Nicholas of Gaslamp Games sent upon hearing of me quitting my job:

More than you know, sir, more than you know.
It turns out, this altered mental state is conducive to making decisions you might not otherwise have the audacity to make. Something had to change, I wasn’t about to dial down the Starfarer work, and that was that.
It hasn’t fully sunk in yet. Wait, I don’t have to go to work tomorrow, and can just work on the game? And the day after that, too? And wait, no more paychecks, say hello to living out of the savings account? And I have to buy my own health insurance and pay quarterly taxes? Check, check, check, and check. It’s all still a bit surreal.
Thank you all for your amazing support. We’re off to a great start, with a growing community, a few in-progress mods, and some very positive reviews. I know I couldn’t have done this without your help, and I’m incredibly excited to finally spend all my time working on Starfarer. It really does feel like I’m living a dream.
… Guess I did come back to the self-help rubbish, after all.