This is one reason why the Vault Editions are such a great option.
There is no risk on "what will be" and how long it will take to get there.

"Game subject to change"
Case dismissed.
Buyers don't have to be pleased, but I highly doubt any judge would side against Stern, especially if it was explained that this is the way they've been doing business for years and years.
Even if you had people show up with signs and get news coverage, I don't expect anyone would care.
The public is barely aware that pinball still exists. Can you imagine the general consensus if a bunch of protestors were on TV, complaining that their games were missing rules?
I agree that this is Sterns biggest issue but am chuckling at the thought of an actual news report.
It would be like an uprising of Klingons at a Comicon, because someone decided to change the official costume colours.

I think that explaining to a non-pinball person (the judge) that the game works, but not the way you want it to, would be an uphill battle.
If you did somehow manage to get a news crew outside of Stern, interviewing protestors, it would probably be free publicity for pinball in general.
I think the best thing customers can do is to sell the Stern games.
So, how much do you want for your IronMan VE?

And there you have it folks.
Buy the VE pins if you can't wait for code.
As much as I want to dive in headfirst on new games, I don't have the patience or space to keep them until code is done. The best purchases I've ever made were ACDC Premium and Met Premium, after all the code was finished. (or in the current state anyway)
If you don't like the incomplete code and the waiting for updates aspect, you just have to bite your tongue and refrain from ordering on day one.

All this said, I'm not sure that anyone would argue that StarTrek is due for some sort of update or announcement, at least letting people know what's happening.

If would be great if Stern would post a chart showing what game is getting attention next, just so people aren't left completely in the dark. -Not that it'll happen.

Yeah, I guess you and I have a very different point of view on how this shakes out.
See, Stern is alone when it comes to making multiple titles each year. The very fact that they can do that is why I don't criticize their methods. If a single other company could produce anywhere near the numbers that they put out, I could understand some criticism.

The very simple, unchanging fact is that it takes longer to produce code than it does to put these things out. There are two ways to see this:
1) Stern needs to finish code before selling the pins
2) Buyers who can't weather the storm and wait it out, shouldn't buy immediately

Given that this has been the way things work for years, how is it that you can blame Stern for their "lack of customer care"? Shouldn't you be blaming buyers for their lack of foresight?