There was a time not too long ago, where the release of the game marked the end of the development cycle. Then came DLC and the notion of games as a service and it rapidly changed the way developers approach each release. What better example of how this has changed the landscape than the most recent main series Final Fantasy release, Final Fantasy XV.
The game released last December, and almost immediately after the initial release, it was announced that Square Enix would be working tirelessly to "finish" the game, even though it was certified and shipped. Since then cutscenes have been added, expansions have been released and still more content is on its way.
But, if you thought Episode Ignis and the upcoming Comrades multiplayer pack was the end of it, you'd be sorely mistaken. During an Active Time Report at Tokyo Game Show, director Hajime Tabata confirmed that development on the game will continue through 2018.
It's currently unclear what content will be released, but Tabata mentioned that the extension of the cycle is in response to the fans who want the game experience to be further enriched.