Why are Stern selling/shipping incomplete games in the first place?

Then making customers wait inordinate time to ensure they are playable.

Because the buying public accept this process without question (guilty as charged).

Just my opinion but maybe its a cash flow problem. Maybe for some reason they've gotten behind on the programming in the past but now need to keep selling machines to keep the production line going and the cash coming in. I can't imagine them stopping future production so the programming can catch up with a lot of workers to pay.

My theory is that Stern have made an absolute fortune on KISS. WWE and GoT didn't sell well so they pump more time into these games to make them better. The sales cycle for WWE would be over by now, but there has always been pressure from operators who lose money over time with poor and incomplete coding. Stern won't put too much effort into KISS, as they made the $ off the KISS fans. But GoT has effectively tanked compared to KISS, so by putting more time and code, they can stimulate sales. Proof would be if Stern provided sales figures, but we all know that won't happen !

I'm absolutely sure if anyone at KISS were aware of this issue, then Stern would get the bullet up their ass that they need to finish the game (gives me an idea..)