Why not sell off the rights to the game to a different dev?
I don't think that would be right, I would be more okay with the current game just being free to play at this point. But I don't really understand why they are super set to have it on Steam either, I feel like there are definitely more options they just do not want to partake.
Though I would also like there to be a release of all the work that was accomplished since the last game update as a sign of goodwill. I have a feeling the game was abandoned shortly after the last update we got.