Wait, there are restrictions on Chip? Damn, thought they were past that sort of thing. (I could understand "we're about to use them in something important" restrictions, but I'm not sure how much of a role Chip is going to play in this anniversary.)
I remember when they couldn't include Cream for ages, despite her appearing in several Sonic games.
I don't think its chip's story importance rather chip is an element that isn't the most loved, and maybe they wanted to push him out of the light a bit. ( I think there should have been restrictions if that was case because the werehog... they dedicated over a year of story t that... and it hasn't been the best)
There are a lot of odd actual and then possible restrictions in with the characters, or worlds like the weirdness that is apparently going on with the use of blazes entire world in the comic. And ian recently saying he has no idea what sega wants to do with gun, so its kind of hard do stuff with gun. Sega is very weird and particularly strict about stuff.
I would just like to put out a reminder sega is also weird and strict in sonic boom too. It might seem like its on the free and easy but there are elements that are clear that sega went in and said " change this "
Sega is very particular on how people see the characters they have in official product, whether its good or bad depends on the situation.