Because of the sunk cost fallacy which is a fallacy only if you ignore the emotions and trauma of having to abandon work you identify with or is responsible for your self esteem.
Don't see how the sunk cost has anything to do with it, OP clearly hoped to be first, as being first would almost guarantee a payoff of some form.
Coming out with a method second is much less likely to be rewarded by the community: not being rewarded for work completed is not sunk cost, its just a straight up loss.
Coming out with a method second is much less likely to be rewarded by the community: not being rewarded for work completed is not sunk cost, its just a straight up loss.