I think they were aware, that the game will not fit for everyone and that there will be mixed critics. But I think it's also important for a game to try something new. With AAMFP they set the focus to another element of the game. In TDD it was the survival aspect and the fear. In AAMFP it was the story, atmosphere and the dread which set the mood.
You can read Thomas Grips opinion to AAMFP in a tweet a few weeks ago:
"Played
#aamfp from start to end for first time. Started out slow and then got increasingly fucked up and awesome. Way better than expected."