I know from another KS-dev (Expedition Conquistador) there was a lot of fuss on Steam forums about "incomplete game" and "I'm going to torrent this to get the full game" over not having our KS-bonus in the version on Steam. And I'm like 'wtf?'
They eventually concluded it would be better to give KS-backers non-ingame rewards so people wont feel as left out, but really... it's just so petty.
While the OP is just whining for attention, I will say this about KS and exclusive items. There were a couple of KS projects I backed (that failed funding), which offered "exclusive" DLC that you could only get if you backed during the KS.
I was planning on getting the tiers with all the DLC anyway, but I made it a point to tell the devs I did not approve of this. DLC that's developed during the game, should not be cut out from the game and made exclusive. If they wanted to charge for it, while I'm not fond of that, it would at least be more acceptable; but to completely make it exclusive so only the KS backers could get it, was just the wrong way to go about it.
One example in the AAA realm, was Deus Ex: Human Revolution, and the "Tong" mission. If you wanted it with the game, you could *ONLY* get it by pre-ordering from Gamestop. That was it, otherwise you had to wait until they offered it for sale. I did so begrudgingly, because there was no way I was missing out on the Tong mission (especially as a huge fan of the original Deus Ex), but I was definitely not happy about it.
Little trinkets, like the message in a bottle stuff, or the "You rock" message to Kickstarter backers is nothing. If they had made an entire level or quest that only KS backers could access, then the OP might have a point. As it is, he's just being a whiny crybaby.
Couldn't agree more, folks seem to think KS is a pre-ordering system with additional goodies at a cheaper rate than the game will be.... rather than what it's really intended to be which is to make games happen in the first place.
This, a thousand times over. I have been trying to make this point to people on KS over and over and over again. It is *NOT* a pre-order platform, it is a funding platform, and the rewards we get are just that, rewards.