Might not be as easy as you think to just create a "simple" censored version.
You're also forgetting a couple important things... One, the game is actually free to download, and I don't just mean here... And two, the game actually has to be completed first, and that's not going to happen. This game will be done or abandoned when the guy can comfortably retire off this single project.
I agree that might not be soo easy. But I said MAYBE he could do that, remember?
For being unfinished, I don't think that's a problem, in fact, I think that's an advantage. Like, I recently bought Princess and Conquest there, and the game is also not finished. And that was one of the reasons I choose to buy it there. Is way easier for me to keep track of the game progress that way, and every time they launch a new version Steam updated it automatically for me. So I think the time I save on those things is already worth the money I spend.
Now, for being offered free after finished... yes that in my opinion, would be the main problem. I do believe most people
wouldn't buy it because of it. But, as a consumer, I see it like this: is just a few bucks for me to get a lot of conveniences, like having the game saved on the cloud, so I can download and play whenever I want with just one click. (Although there is this factor of having to download a good part of it to remove the censorship later... :/)
But anyway, even so, For me, it also counts the fact that I'm a collector of games XD. It gives me satisfaction just to see them on the "shelf" of my Steam account. And he can offer extra things like trophies and cards, as I said.
Anyway, I personally wouldn't think is a bad deal even if he offer the game free later, even because that doesn't influence anything in my life in a negative way, it's actually the opposite, the more people playing the better. That means more content for it.
Also dude, in a way all games are free XD you just have to download a cracked version XD
And, I really hope he doesn't give up on it before finishing at least the more basic stuff