Gamescom 2011

Portal 2 opening February 9

Sequel to Valve's mind-bending PS3, PC, and Xbox 360 action-platformer will arrive before Valentine's Day next year; The Office's Stephen Merchant to voice British robot.

This year's Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, has seen a bevy of major announcements, including new PlayStation 3 configurations, Mass Effect 2 for the PS3, Resistance 3, a new Ratchet & Clank game, and Dragon Age 2's launch date--March 8, 2011. The game had originally been set for a fourth quarter 2010 release but was pushed back in June.

Nearly one month before that, another highly anticipated, Electronic Arts-published title will hit the market. Valve Software has confirmed to GameSpot that Portal 2 will launch on February 9, 2011. The game is in development for the PC, Mac, Xbox 360, and--as was revealed in a shock Electronic Entertainment Expo announcement in June--and the PlayStation 3. Valve announced all four versions are being released simultaneously.

Portal 2 follows the events of the first Portal, which saw gamers taking on the role of a human lab rat, Chell, who used a portal gun to create interdimensional openings on ceilings, walls, and floors in an effort to escape the Aperture Science labs. Along the way, players were guided through the diabolical tests by the deceptively sincere, yet altogether sadistic, artificial intelligence known as GLaDOS.

[SPOILER ALERT]

In Portal 2, both Chell and GLaDOS return to Aperture after the company was destroyed. As outlined in GameSpot's E3 preview, the game will introduce a new character, the British robot Wheatley. Valve also confirmed that Stephen Merchant, the cowriter of the British version of the Office and costar of Extras, will voice the polite android. The game was demonstrated at E3 (see below) with a different voice actor reciting Wheatley's lines.

177 Comments

  • Ghost_702

    Posted Sep 14, 2010 2:23 am GMT

    Portal is one of the most original games I have ever seen. The first was ridiculously fun to play and I can't wait for the second.

  • kamikaze_pigmy

    Posted Sep 10, 2010 5:46 am GMT

    @Xenon2001 I'm sure that wasn't there when I read it the first time. Still, that's good, then

  • Xenon2001

    Posted Sep 10, 2010 1:24 am GMT

    @kamikaze_pigmy
    "The game is in development for the PC, Mac, Xbox 360, and--as was revealed in a shock Electronic Entertainment Expo announcement in June--and the PlayStation 3"

  • Xenon2001

    Posted Sep 10, 2010 1:19 am GMT

    @TenraiSenshi
    Multiplayer co-op with 4 portals has been confirmed in the newest trailers, and a bevy of new gameplay features would point towards a longer game.

  • kingsi7e

    Posted Aug 30, 2010 8:09 am GMT

    Yeah, where is the new half-life (I don't care if it is e3 or hl3)?

  • Ezio66

    Posted Aug 29, 2010 2:22 am GMT

    hmmm this the for winter

  • MrBubblezz

    Posted Aug 28, 2010 5:18 pm GMT

    Can anyone tell me what hitomo said in English? Besides the fact that the game is "generic" which is the most retarded thing ive ever heard. I agree with DanieIL5583.

  • Ninpo187

    Posted Aug 26, 2010 5:31 pm GMT

    But what about HL2E3?

  • allan_delacruz

    Posted Aug 26, 2010 7:40 am GMT

    Whoever bought the bought the Orange Box is a little late to the game, but its better to be late than never

  • TenraiSenshi

    Posted Aug 25, 2010 6:36 am GMT

    The first Portal was great, just very short. Hopefully, they make this one a lot longer. It would also be cool if they had a co-op mode where certain puzzles could only be passed with two players (I.E. four portals at a given time could be opened) or even a head to head competitive mode. O_o

  • 11231989

    Posted Aug 24, 2010 7:58 am GMT

    I don't know anything about portal or valve games except counterstrike on pc

  • wwlettsome

    Posted Aug 23, 2010 10:01 am GMT

    I miss my companion cube.

  • cjasko94

    Posted Aug 21, 2010 6:44 pm GMT

    February is packed!

  • Zeratac

    Posted Aug 20, 2010 10:24 pm GMT

    Can't wait for it!

  • drsteve5794

    Posted Aug 20, 2010 3:19 pm GMT

    OMG!!! WOO =)

  • DanielL5583

    Posted Aug 20, 2010 4:15 am GMT

    @hitomo How is Portal a 'generic' game? Name one other game that has a gun that creates portals to complete complex puzzles.

  • DanielL5583

    Posted Aug 20, 2010 4:13 am GMT

    Stephen Merchant is Wheatley? YEAH!

  • Kezman118

    Posted Aug 20, 2010 1:17 am GMT

    Its like a Renaissance of PC gaming in 2011 with all these great games. Portal 2, Rage, Crysis 2. Cant wait to jump through portals again. "In laymen terms, speedy thing goes in, speedy thing comes out."

  • Dante20XX

    Posted Aug 19, 2010 9:17 pm GMT

    and lol @ hitomo

    Yes dude, Portal is extremely generic and has nothing going for it at all. Very, very bland, right? That's why all reviews and the media say so...
    oh wait, lol.