Chuck Sommerville was ready to launch Chip’s Challenge 2, the sequel to his popular puzzle game, way back in 1991. He didn’t because he couldn’t. After two years of working on it, he then found out that the game’s trademark had been sold on, and the new owners wanted him to fund the publishing.
“When I couldn’t release Chip’s Challenge 2, it hit me really hard. Not only had I spent two years perfecting it, I also felt I’d let down the fans too,” Sommerville said. “I generally thought the only way Chip’s Challenge 2 was ever going to see the light of day was by having my wife leak it on the internet on my death.”
It took nearly two decades more before Sommervile started to negotiate with the owners of the trademark to let him release the game. Unfortunately, even after all that time, it took Sommerville five years to sort out the negotiations.
Now, after all of that time and effort, Sommerville has reached the point that he’s able to release Chip’s Challenge 2. On May 29th, it will become available on Steam for $4.99, alongside the first game, Chip’s Challenge (originally released in 1989), which will be sold for $1.99. There will also be a Chip’s Challenge 2 level editor sold as DLC for $2.99.
The Chip’s Challenge games are top-down maze-like puzzlers in which you help Chip join the Bit Busters computer club. You manipulate blocks to overcome traps, monsters, as well as find keys and computer chips that are sometimes necessary to progress.
