A fan-made remake of the original Portal, titled Alive & Kicking, has been in development since 2011, but its release is currently stalled due to a lack of communication from Valve. Developers Rhubarb & Rhubarb confirmed that the game is complete and ready for launch, but they are unable to release it on Steam.
One of the developers, known as Dot Operator, stated on the Steam discussions page that the team has not received any updates from Valve since submitting a non-commercial license template several months ago. While grateful for the initial option to pursue a non-commercial release, the ongoing silence from Valve has left the completed project in limbo. The team initially received Valve's blessing for the project and was granted access to Portal 2's source code under a non-disclosure agreement. However, a formal non-commercial release agreement was only filed more recently, after which Valve reportedly became unresponsive.
This situation is notable given Valve's history with fan-made projects. The company has previously allowed numerous fan games based on its properties, such as Black Mesa and Hunt Down The Freeman, to be published on Steam. Garry's Mod, a popular sandbox game, was even published by Valve itself. Furthermore, Portal itself originated as a student project by Kim Swift before Valve acquired it and turned it into a critical and commercial success within 2007's Orange Box compilation.
Alive & Kicking aims to recreate the original Portal experience using the engine and source code from Portal 2, including visual enhancements. The developers have also indicated the possibility of introducing new puzzle chambers beyond the original game's content. The project's reliance on Valve's source code, which was instrumental in its creation, has now become the very obstacle preventing its release. The development team and fans are now hoping that increased public attention will prompt a response from Valve and secure the necessary approval for Alive & Kicking to reach its audience.