Why did they replace the console sprites with new sprites that people apparently dislike a lot more? Also why did they get rid of the voice acting?

[Uncle Jon]

From what I understand fans of this series seem to prefer either the original sprites which I am going to guess were drawn by the writer of the visual novel or the updated sprites that were on console (which I think also had voice acting which isn't in this steam version also for some reason?). I was curious why they replaced the console version which fans seem to think is a lot more superior than the steam version? I got to around episode 4 and I noticed there are like a few characters in the VN that do not have updated sprites. They literally just kept the old sprites with the new ones which is a bit jarring seeing the poorly drawn OG sprites with the better drawn Pachinko ones. I am guessing the reason why they didn't update their sprites is because they are very minor characters that aren't very important to the story. I know that you can mod in the console sprites into the VN with the voice acting if you wanted to, but I was curious as to why they weren't included? Higurashi seems to do the same thing, but I am not sure which sprites people prefer in that VN or if every sprite in that game got updated?

[Ellixer]

Licensing issues. The PS3 sprites (and the voices, henced why the Steam version does not come with voices) belong to the company that ported Umineko to the PS3, who for some reason presumably did not give permission for them to be used for the steam version.