Here's the thing: the majority of old-timers know Chris Roberts. The majority do not know who Brenda-and-Tom-WHO? is. Just look around in the forums. Everyone was asking who Brenda-and-Tom-WHO? are, or said they had never heard of them.
Chris Roberts is well known, you just happen to be in the minority who have not heard of them. He actually has a Kickstarter going on right now.
Star Citizen is only three days old, and it has already met 76% of its goal, and Kicktraq predicts it will meet 500%+ of its goal. In three days Chris Roberts has raised 50% more money than Brenda-and-Tom-WHO? did in over two weeks.
Maybe Brenda-and-Tom-WHO? can make a great RPG. I don't know, because I don't know who they are, and I have never played any game that bears either of their names. That's another problem right there: either Brenda-WHO and Tom Hall has only one game that titled his/her name. Few people have played either of those games, (i.e., Wizardry 8 and Anachronox.) And those two are not bestsellers that everyone know or has played. Which means they really do not have enough projects to become widely known.