bit-gamer.net

Portal 2 release date announced

Published on 18th August 2010 by Joe Martin

Stephen Merchant is set to star as Portal 2's Buddy Sphere, according to reports.

GamesCom 2010: Valve has announced a release date for Portal 2 at the GamesCom show in Cologne, Germany.

The Seattle based publisher has set the date as February 11th, 2011 – presumably on all platforms, though we've not yet heard confirmation on that last point.

Valve also took the oppurtunity to announce some new vocal talent that would be appearing in the game – comedian Stephen Merchant, known for his work with Ricky Gervais on The Office and Extras.

Merchant will be providing the voice of the Buddy Sphere, presumably one of the nicer parts of GlaDOS' personality that was blown off in the first game.

Portal 2 will be a release all of its own this time, unlike the previous game which came as part of Valve's Orange Box pack, along with Team Fortress 2 and Half-Life: Episode 2.

And, no, there's still no word on Episode 3 yet.

Let us know your thoughts in the forums.

32 Comments

Discuss in the forums Reply

proxymoron 18th August 2010, 15:41

I'm sorry, I've just cum.

WildThing 18th August 2010, 15:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by proxymoron
I'm sorry, I've just cum.

Me too!

I'm glad they've got somone different for that voice, the one used in the trailers and previews always sounded wrong to me.

stonedsurd 18th August 2010, 15:51

It's Valve Time. Nothing they say is true. Sad but true.

sear 18th August 2010, 15:57

... eh.

Am I still the only one who thinks that most of Portal's ideas and personality were already exhausted by the time the first game ended? A sequel is fine and better than another drab shooter for sure, but I'm not sure I really want a full retail-class Portal sequel.

Javerh 18th August 2010, 16:03

I'm only buying Portal 2 for the silly hats in TF2. I'm already prepared to buy it on PS3 to get something special.

Unknownsock 18th August 2010, 16:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by sear
... eh.

Am I still the only one who thinks that most of Portal's ideas and personality were already exhausted by the time the first game ended? A sequel is fine and better than another drab shooter for sure, but I'm not sure I really want a full retail-class Portal sequel.

Portal 2 will tie in with Episode 3.
And even if it didn't ofc it did not, more intense complxed puzzle at larger scales?
Someone a little unimaginative here!

His voice is in the trailer stuff correct?
Sounds awful to me..Doesn't fit the ambience imo

play_boy_2000 18th August 2010, 16:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by sear
Am I still the only one who thinks that most of Portal's ideas and personality were already exhausted by the time the first game ended? A sequel is fine and better than another drab shooter for sure, but I'm not sure I really want a full retail-class Portal sequel.

If they tie it into the half life universe properly and the new puzzles are as good as the trailers suggest, i doubt there will be any problems. Besides, as much fun as the gameplay was, GlaDOS is really what made the game epic imho.

faugusztin 18th August 2010, 16:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unknownsock
Portal 2 will tie in with Episode 3.

Mentioning that - where in the hell is HL2E3 ? Didn't they say they want episodic content to have more frequent releases ? Nov 2004 (HL2), June 2006 (HL2E1), October 2007 (HL2E2)... We are now close to 3 years since HL2E2. This doesn't sound like "frequent releases".

stonedsurd 18th August 2010, 16:25

Again, Valve Time.

They don't care about us because we'll buy their stuff anyway :D

Ross1 18th August 2010, 16:29

Karl Pilkington would have been more fun, with him doing portbusters...

This next puzzle... this guy from newcastle is giving out massages (A)

Mankz 18th August 2010, 16:49

I had a crisis.

borandi 18th August 2010, 16:52

The old GLaDoS voice was awesome.

Valve time, QFT.

tranc3 18th August 2010, 17:23

I want, episode 3. now

lp1988 18th August 2010, 18:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonedsurd
Again, Valve Time.

They don't care about us because we'll buy their stuff anyway :D

I wouldn't say that, if the rushed the game to be finished on time would that be to care more for us ?

erratum1 18th August 2010, 18:10

It was glados that made the game a gem.

Their's not enough wicked humour in games, its all guns and violence.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonedsurd
Again, Valve Time.

They don't care about us because we'll buy their stuff anyway :D

I don't think its in their interest to delay it for no reason, I mean its their profits.

Would you prefer they rushed it out like other developers do and then release tons are patches tring to fix the broken crap ?

Valve are one of the best developers around.

wuyanxu 18th August 2010, 18:17

come on, put preorder on Steam now please!

B1GBUD 18th August 2010, 18:27

fap fap fap

Only 177 days to go!!

HourBeforeDawn 18th August 2010, 19:11

OKAY so if Valve says Feb 11 2011, then that means either it will come out Feb 11 2012 or with some hope 3-6 months after their stated release date.

ledbythereaper 18th August 2010, 20:05

"The greatest troll that Valve ever pulled was convincing the world that Episode 3 existed"

Syn 18th August 2010, 20:36

I thought it would be early than that. Cool, cant wait to buy it.......episode 3 :(

lol

frontline 18th August 2010, 20:59

HL2 Ep3 without Dr Breen wouldn't be the same :(

Roll on Portal 2 though!

pimonserry 18th August 2010, 21:28

STEPHEN MERCHANT!

Respect for Valve has increased by one.

Spuzzell 18th August 2010, 22:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unknownsock

His voice is in the trailer stuff correct?
Sounds awful to me..Doesn't fit the ambience imo

Nope, the voice in the trailer was a Valve dev.

scott_chegg 18th August 2010, 23:30

At least it isn't Ricky Gervais! Looking forward to this one.

Fizzl 19th August 2010, 00:11

Wasn't there a suggestion that we will get some more footage beyond the E3 stuff recently? Did that ever show up?

TheOnlyOneHeFears 19th August 2010, 09:26

Am I the only one who noticed instantly that the release date is a palindrome? Although only if it's in dd/mm/yyyy format, which I guess is irrelevant as Valve are a US dev :P

Portal was one of my favourite games of all time, so I'm literally counting down the days for this!

Hamfunk 19th August 2010, 09:41

Not looking forward to Stephen Merchant and his annoying voice. I hope they put a filter over it so he sounds like a machine!

CAPSLOCK 19th August 2010, 10:29

It's nice that they finally put a date down. But I'd rather hear about Episode 3.

BRAWL 19th August 2010, 12:17

Sweet! :D

Can't wait for this *informs his clan*

Bauul 19th August 2010, 12:44

Good choice, Merchant's "enthusiastic-yet-patronising" style is perfect for Portal, considering the first game spent it's entire length slagging you off in increasingly humurous ways.

Oggyb 19th August 2010, 14:20

I honestly hope that Merchant's voice overs on the trailer (if indeed it's him, certainly sounds like it) were a guide for the designers. It's very stilted really, and not like either GLaDOS or the other AI spheres. He's brilliant, of course, but I wanted to be more convinced.

Edit: someone above said it's a placeholder from someone else. Good.

Synikal Ali 7th September 2010, 15:51

the cake IS real after all... thank the gods