The other striking similarity is the large gap in time from the game's reveal to the game's release. A lot of people I talk to nowadays are just as "tired of waiting" for StarCraft 2 as they were for Spore. A long wait can ultimately sour one's opinion of a game, and increases expectation, as the mindset switches to "it better be worth all the wait."
Not to mention what seems like an amazing idea early can quickly simmer over time. The game line-up for 2010 is pretty insane whether you're a casual gamer or core gamer there is something for everyone. Starcraft 2 is just looking duller and duller the more it is delayed. It's been pretty much the same game for the last 3 years.
I don't think they should have announced it until release was almost garaunteed within a year. The game is getting stale and it hasn't even come out yet. I know this may sound pretty negative and I want to play it as much as the next guy but I can't help but feel less and less interested with each passing day.