I think the second point that you raised in the trends, about game dev not necessarily being a full-time thing for many indie developers, has some indirect positive consequences that perhaps not many realize.

1. There's time for the dev (if they choose to) build a fan base. The longer time from conception to release means more people can get excited about the projects, as the fan base organically (in most cases) grows awareness for the game. Most of my recent purchases and wishlists are all word-of-mouth finds.

2. Ultimately, it's up to the dev to make their game, but they can make real-time pivots in how they do that based on whatever parts of the fanbase they choose to listen to. The fans feel like they're a part of the development process too. It creates a relationship that feels much colder with a AAA dev studio.

But to your point, not all games enjoy these benefits, and many fall by the wayside while others race past. Even among my wishlisted upcoming indie games, I can foresee differences in how they will be received when they are released, just by the number/quality of interactions.