How about either
Pay once solution? 54 dollar is good price for game. And maybe pay can pay more to play first?54+extra cost
Or
Subscription
Let people pay monthly?
Then the programmer will get paid and people will get their money worth on this game.
Btw, I am a programmer myself and have worked for company that didn’t play me anything at all so I know how it feels and I as a gamer I know the anger they feel.