Yeah I dunno how the OG version gets subs. It's just a VN/ebook with pictures, there is no sex at all in it. I quit even following it after the first release of that when I realized there were no plans to lewd anyone. If I want a story with no sex I just watch a movie I ripped from Netflix discs and streams back in the day. At least it's realistic, MC being a perma celbate priest and all. It really should be called Priest's Blueballs: The Simulator. I suppose that is why this was made, as the original canon sucks.
Meh. He made earlier games like
The Professor which were silly and had quite a bit of sexual content. I think he decided he wanted to go for something different with the main game, something more serious and (at least to him) interesting and tried his hand at it. In the early parts, I think it's clear he still thought he might be able to add lewd content later.
But as the story went on further, I think he figured he couldn't find any real way to add lewd content without it feeling forced, just out-of-place sex for the sake of having it. Like, a bunch of people are getting killed at the Vatican... cut to the MC and one of the girls suddenly going at it. I don't think he could figure out pacing to make it work. He actually even asked for suggestions and nobody gave him shit for ideas.
I'm pretty sure this game is to offer lewd content for those who wanted it originally in the main game, kind of as a consolation. Like, "I never did figure out how to make it work there, so as a kind of apology, here's some other scenarios I can think of where sex could've happened."
Personally, I generally am far more into the story and characters of a game / film / book than anything else. I actually like both the original and this game. But I get it: this site and others are generally for games with sexual content, so most people don't like how the other game turned out. IIRC, the main game did
not get very many subs, like you said. I think his numbers have steadily climbed (270-ish?) since doing this game. It is what it is.