Don't fret, even as gamers have become more and more demanding, they are generally also becoming more mature and understanding. I remember when WoW came out and there were loads of bugs being reported, for every guy that started whining and calling it crap, there were 500 defending it, teeth bared. The most important thing is bringing a great game to the table, and it seems that's what you guys are doing. Everyone will understand if there's a delay, look how long Dragon Age has been taking to complete, and all that happens is more and more hype the longer it takes. Few people whine, because they also realise it's better to buy a 100-hour game next year than buy a 15-hour game next month.
What I'm trying to say is; take your time, just make sure when it's finished, it's actually finished. And if it is, I'm sure you'll reap the rewards.
