Hello there! I thought i would give my 2 cents on this idea/my experience as i have played wurm for a long time on and off now.
BACK STORY
I started playing WO way back in 2008/2009 after searching google for some new games that were free. I found wurm and started playing when there were no animations on characters and everyone just slid around the map. I played for about a month or two constantly when a few of my skills inevitably hit level 20. I purchased the premium a few times and slowly leveled up more and more. I slowly lost interest in wurm and started to play it less and less until i stopped all together. I came back to the game a few times after that but not properly until the new animations/models and building floors came in. I was hooked! I played again for a few months but slowly again stopped playing due to mainly the level caps.
Fast forward to 2013/2014 and Wurm Unlimited has appeared on steam. I pestered all my friends to play it but i could only persuade two. Alec and Iwadn. We played on the mythmoor server every day without fail for about 3 months when the server reset their map. Feeling defeated we stopped playing. Everything in wurm takes time an we just couldn't really be bothered starting all over again.
Here i am in 2019 playing wurm again with my friends alec and iwadn. Now we are slowly clocking up hours on the sklotopolis server and loving it! I can see myself playing for a rather long time now.
MY OPINIONS
I will try word this the best i can. Thought my opinion might be a good insight as a regular person and not a die hard fan.
Personally i would never go back to playing Wurm online. The reason for this is down to the level 20 cap for online and the grind. I play unlimited because i don't have to pay a monthly subscription just to make higher QL things, i have bought the game and i can now do as much as i want. I hate to say it but, in my opinion as someone who loves wurm but not as an avid player. Online looks like it is dying. There is just no reason for me to play online when i can login to unlimited and level faster with no caps.
Releasing a wurm online steam only version would be pointless. This would divide the communities more and more. I would say release wurm online on steam and allow anyone to join the servers that are already there. Don't make new servers but If people like the game they are inevitably going to buy unlimited rather than premium.
There is a game studio in my local town called Hunted Cow Games and they released a game called Eldevin. Its runescape ripoff that has pretty much 0 players. They have since released this game on steam and they do get a few people playing it yes but most people stop playing as Cosmetics are thrown in your face and leveling skills is extremely hard unless you pay for boosters.
I believe that wurm needs a combat and animations overhaul the most as its just boring. Its all text based with very little excitement. If wurm had a combat system like Morhau i would never stop playing it.
I think if wurm was to have a membership system it would need something like runescape. Some skills ore items should only be available to players who pay for premium.
Overall i love playing Unlimited and will continue to play for some considerable time.
Edit: I forgot to mention mods. Mods really appeal to me and a lot of others. Mods tend to be the reason people play on private servers of games. Look at habbo retros, runescape private servers, wow private servers etc
