Hey I don't know if you found your answer yet but JDOR said this 46 days ago :
""" One major thing to be aware of. I feel that Origin Story now has enough content that I cannot justify allowing this to be available for "free" anymore. On top of that, I'm developing it entirely on my own, in the evenings and weekends, while working a full-time job, supporting my wife, and raising a child. It’s been a labour of love, but also a major investment of time and energy.
To keep the project sustainable, to justify spending this time on the project instead of on my family, and to make sure I can continue giving it the time and care it deserves, I need to get something back from it. I hope you understand, and I truly appreciate your support as I take this next step. So from now on, Origin Story will be available on Itch for only $8, though you can also obtain it through supporting me on Patreon for less than this.
In due course I will make a free version of the game that includes the first four, maybe five, chapters. I haven't decided yet.
Thank you for your support. It means everything. JDOR """
So yeah it's the reason you pay now, and it's worth every penny, best game