I think that's exactly the point. People want to buy stuff from whoever they like. This is the same as the Louis CK show. I like these guys, they're releasing something new, I'll pay (and wait for it if needed).
Whether or not this would work for indie/unknown developers is a whole other story, I think. The main point is direct funding.
"Whether or not this would work for indie/unknown developers is a whole other story, I think."
I agree that the jury's still out for the little guy, but I'd argue that the little guy simply needs to hustle that much harder to get noticed.
In theory, there's little reason why a compelling-looking presentation about a video game, from a relative unknown, wouldn't catch fire if marketed correctly. Look at the Elevation Dock, for instance. Different category altogether, but the video demonstrates the appeal of the product, the thought that went into its design, and the personality of its creator (unknown to the general public prior to the Kickstarter project).
A "Startup Tim Schafer" would need to be his (or her) own marketing team. He'd want to -- probably need to -- crack the top Kickstarter listings, and hopefully earn some press pickup, by making an undeniably killer presentation. And he'd need to make damned sure to ship something in the end. (While it's true that Kickstarter isn't technically a pre-sales site, a lot of users seem to treat it that way. If you're an upstart developer with no AAA track record, your Kickstarter launch is your track record; you'll have a razor-thin margin of error).
No doubt Tim Schafer has a lot of advantages over Startup Tim Schafer. But the hill isn't impossible for Startup Tim to climb. If anything, I think the existence of Kickstarter makes things a lot easier for him. Kickstarter can be an excellent marketing tool every bit as much as it's a funding tool.
Whether or not this would work for indie/unknown developers is a whole other story, I think. The main point is direct funding.