Ethan Crossfield 
Portal: Alive & Kicking is reportedly complete and ready to release after a 15-year development run—but its launch is stalled because the team says Valve hasn’t responded to the licensing steps needed for a public release.
What changed in the final stretch
Portal: Alive & Kicking, a fan-made remake of Valve’s 2007 Portal, is said to be fully finished and prepared for public release. The project was first announced in 2011 and has taken roughly 15 years to reach completion.
According to a developer involved with the remake, the team built the project using source code provided by Valve. While the team initially operated under an NDA, the developer says an additional non-commercial release form was only signed recently. Even with that paperwork step completed, the project is still waiting—because the developer reports that Valve has not replied after the necessary licensing process began.
The core blocker is the team’s modification of Portal 2’s source code to create the remake. The developer states the license is required specifically because of those changes, and without Valve’s response there’s no path to move forward with a public release.
Who’s affected and why this matters to Portal fans
Portal: Alive & Kicking positions itself as a full remake and re-imagining of the original Portal, using the visual capabilities of Portal 2. The developers also describe improvements beyond visuals, including enhanced puzzle cues and a new dynamic soundtrack that blends elements associated with Portal’s atmospheric drones and Portal 2’s reactive scoring.
For fans, the situation is frustrating because the remake appears to be at the finish line. The developer also claims Valve has previously been supportive of certain fan projects—citing Black Mesa, a complete remake of Half-Life, which was allowed to release commercially on Steam.
At the same time, Valve has shut down fan efforts in the past when it deemed necessary. In this case, however, the developer indicates there was prior communication between Valve and the Portal: Alive & Kicking team, which makes the current silence feel like a unique final-hurdle problem rather than a total shutdown.
What comes next while Valve stays silent
As of late June, the developer reports that Valve’s lack of response had continued for a few months. With no confirmed timeline and no stated decision from Valve, the remake remains in limbo.
Community attention has grown around the stalled launch. A Reddit post on the Portal subreddit (from user Livid-Active-3121) reportedly aimed to draw attention to the issue, including suggestions that someone contact Gabe Newell directly to seek a resolution. The source notes Newell sometimes replies to fan emails, but it also makes clear there’s no guarantee such an approach would work.
Looking beyond this remake, the source also highlights uncertainty about Valve’s future plans for the Portal franchise. Valve has remained quiet on Portal 3, leaving speculation about what the series could look like next. That broader uncertainty makes it especially important for fans that Portal: Alive & Kicking be allowed to release—if only to deliver a Portal experience while official plans remain unclear.
Why it matters / What players should know
- The remake is claimed to be complete and ready for release after about 15 years, but it cannot launch without Valve’s licensing response.
- The team says it used Valve-provided source code and modified Portal 2’s source code, which is why a non-commercial release license is required.
- Community members are urging attention to the issue, but no official Valve decision has been reported yet.
Expert View
This looks like a classic “it’s done, but the paperwork/permissions aren’t” situation. The project’s reported completeness and the developer’s claim that licensing is tied to Portal 2 source modifications make the delay feel less about creative blockers and more about Valve’s internal response time. Until Valve replies, the safest assumption is that Portal: Alive & Kicking will remain unreleased—even if the community wants it live immediately.
