Does launching fast actually matter anymore?

One piece of advice we hear all the time in startups is: “launch fast.” Ship early, test with real users, and improve along the way.

But lately it feels like the landscape is changing. With so many products launching every day, sometimes a half-baked launch disappears instantly, while more polished products seem to get better traction.

So I’m curious about your experience:
– Is launching fast still the best strategy?
– Or is it better to wait a bit longer and launch something more refined?
– Have you seen examples where speed helped a product win, or where quality at launch mattered more?

Would love to hear how other makers here approach this balance between speed and quality.