One of the reasons that has caused hesitation in deploying the idea early is the possibility that the mechanics might be instantly swallowed up by a publisher who could replicate it in a matter of a few months.

However, if player's don't care about the gameplay, no publisher will either. So that's a very practical piece of advice in your comment. Building the audience to validate the idea should take a higher priority.

On the positive side, the studio showed enthusiasm across the team while working on the project (biased as it may be)