I think Minecraft has a really great release model for game updates - not only are the developers open about what they’re working on, but some time (generally several months) before a major update drops they start releasing (optional) weekly WIP updates where players can try out new features in active development and suggest changes, identify bugs and give general feedback (which the developers are very responsive to). Only once the update is complete, stable and bug-free is a release date announced and the proper patch released.
While I don’t think this model would work for the Sims (most new content is DLC), this transparency and opportunity for players to try out and give feedback on new content is one of the reasons the developers have such a good relationship with the community.
