I've received information from an EA official (through a middle-hand I consider a trusted source) that Spore has been "complete" for more than a year. The main reason why it hasn't hit the shelves yet is because the game lacks replay value. "Events are predictable, features are bland and unrewarding, and I honestly believe the game was overhyped for the amount of fun [it] offers."

I have personally been looking forward to the game for quite some time, and I am still convinced it will live up to its "hype" once it is fit for release.

More information about Spore can be found here:

http://www.spore.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spore_(video_game)

Spore video demonstration:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8dvMDFOFnA

"Stephen Wolfram is the creator of Mathematica and is widely regarded as the most important innovator in scientific and technical computing today." - Stephen Wolfram