"Or they could have let us use the product with dummy resources without having to spend actual money in the development phase."

Ummmm they did. You were given the first drug, weapon, and alcohol house for that very reason.
Nobody told you you had to spend your own money, much less ~$1,000, on a game. You made that decision all on your own, while failing to miss the obvious variable of how a growing gamer population would effect your % payout.