@joshwithouthats can absolutely relate.
I didn't play the game for 2 years, and honestly little practical has changed.

My theory is that they are financially disincentivised to release. When wipes are commonplace (which can be "explained" by the alpha), people actively purchase ships for real green dollars instead of aUEC since those are preserved. Also, alpha means devs hold no responsibility, including for your purchases - called "pledges" for a reason.