Portal
News, coverage and analysis tracking Portal across the outlets.
Latest coverage
The Top 10 Best Valve Games
This article lists the 10 best games developed by Valve, highlighting titles such as Half-Life, Portal, and Left 4 Dead. The list aims to rank Valve's most acclaimed titles across various genres.
Game Crossovers and Collaborations
Dbrand has opened orders for its Companion Cube case, inspired by the game Portal, designed for the Steam Machine. This merchandise allows fans to bring a piece of the iconic game into their setup.
Obsession Director Would Be Up For A Video Game Movie
Filmmaker Curry Barker, whose horror movie Obsession has been a major success, expressed openness to directing a video game movie. While not a heavy gamer, Barker mentioned Five Nights at Freddy's and the Uncharted series as potential projects he'd be interested in. He also discussed his admiration for Zach Cregger's approach to the Resident Evil movie and Kane Parsons' interest in directing a Portal adaptation.
How to be a dad and a gamer and still get a good night’s sleep - Reader's Feature
A father of two young children shares his struggle to balance gaming with family life, finding that long, time-consuming games are no longer feasible. He details his process of organizing his extensive game library by length to better manage his limited playtime and rediscover enjoyment in shorter, more self-contained experiences.
These are the 5 games you need to check out after watching A24's Backrooms film
Following the release of A24's Backrooms film, this article recommends five games that capture similar eerie and unsettling vibes. Titles like Escape the Backrooms and Inside the Backrooms offer multiplayer horror experiences, while Pools provides a more atmospheric, solitary exploration. Portal is also suggested due to its thematic similarities and vast, inexplicable environments, and SCP: Secret Laboratory is recommended for fans of inexplicable horrors.
Backrooms Director Eyeing A Portal Movie, But He’s Cautious About Adaptations
Kane Parsons, director of the upcoming film Backrooms, has expressed interest in directing a movie based on Valve's Portal game. While enthusiastic, Parsons is approaching the adaptation with caution, emphasizing the importance of respecting the original work. He also mentioned that the sound design in Backrooms was inspired by Portal, and the game series has been a significant creative influence on him.
Backrooms director Kane Parsons wants to direct a Portal movie
Director Kane Parsons, known for the film Backrooms, has expressed interest in directing a movie based on Valve's video game franchise Portal. Parsons cited Portal as an inspiration for his own work and mentioned his desire to bring the puzzle-platformer to the big screen. However, a Portal film has been in development hell since 2013, with initial announcements made by Gabe Newell and J.J. Abrams.
Backrooms director Kane Parsons is seemingly considering a Portal movie “with a lot of caution and a lot of…
Kane Parsons, the director of the recent horror hit Backrooms, is reportedly exploring the possibility of directing a movie based on Valve's Portal franchise. Parsons expressed interest in the project with caution and curiosity, following his success as the youngest filmmaker to top the U.S. box office.
Backrooms director says Portal 2 is the "biggest inspiration" for new A24 horror movie
Director Kane Parsons revealed that Portal 2 is the primary inspiration for his upcoming A24 horror movie based on the viral YouTube series Backrooms. Parsons cited the games' blend of comedy, absurdity, and vast, decaying environments as key influences on his work.
Backrooms' 20-Year-Old Director Learned to Create in PS3's LittleBigPlanet
The 20-year-old director of the upcoming horror film Backrooms, Kane Parsons, has revealed that his creative foundation was built using PlayStation 3's LittleBigPlanet. Parsons learned about lighting and set design in the game, and also cited Portal as a significant influence on his work. The film is predicted to be a box office success, resonating with a younger audience familiar with Parsons' YouTube content.
Backrooms director Kane Parsons explains how influential Valve's Portal is to his work: 'I frequently have dreams where I'm just in the Aperture Science Enrichment Center'
Backrooms director Kane Parsons revealed that Valve's Portal series has been a significant influence on his work, particularly the environmental design and the concept of an eternal, vast indoor space. He frequently dreams of being in the Aperture Science Enrichment Center and notes similarities between the game's setting and the concept of the Backrooms. Parsons specifically highlighted Portal 2 for its comedic premise and the subtle environmental storytelling through murals.
Yerba Buena, out today, is a Portal-esque puzzle platformer where your weapon of choice is copying and pasting physics
Yerba Buena, a new puzzle platformer, is now available on PC and Steam. The game allows players to copy and paste the physics and movement properties of objects onto other items, enabling unique puzzle-solving opportunities. It is set in an abandoned video game world and features a narrative about an NPC named Barb trying to save San Francisco.
Former Valve writer Chet Faliszek has no interest in writing Half-Life 3: 'I don't want to touch that with a…
Former Valve writer Chet Faliszek stated he has no interest in working on Half-Life 3 or any other sequels due to the pressure of existing lore and fan expectations. He prefers creating new characters and stories rather than revisiting established universes, finding the prospect of writing for them a "disaster nightmare."
Not only will the new Steam Controller scream at you but it can play tunes as well
A new update for Steam Haptics Singer, a project that allows the Steam Controller to play music through its haptic feedback, has been released. Version 1.11 adds support for the original Steam Controller and allows MIDI files to control the gain directly. The tool, which also works with the Steam Deck, can be used on Linux by running an executable with a MIDI file.
What are the best and worst lyrics you've ever heard in a videogame song?
This article discusses memorable and questionable lyrics found in video game music, highlighting examples from Final Fantasy XIV, Dead Island, Portal, the Metal Gear series, and Nier: Automata. The author explores how lyrics can range from nonsensical to deeply meaningful, impacting the overall player experience.
Nearly 40 years after launch, NetHack just got a 5.0.0 release with over 3,000 patch notes
NetHack, a historically significant roguelike originally released nearly 40 years ago, has received a major 5.0.0 update. This open-source project, maintained by a community DevTeam, continues its active development, building upon the legacy of early dungeon crawlers like Rogue. The game is also recognized for its historical importance, being featured in the Museum of Modern Art.
DBrand Updates Companion Cube Skin for Steam Machine | HappyGamer
DBrand has quietly updated its Companion Cube skin for Valve's Steam Machine, a move that has garnered attention from the Portal community. While the Steam Machine did not achieve widespread success, the update suggests DBrand's continued commitment to its gaming hardware accessories, potentially signaling future refreshes for other legacy designs.
Portal Fan Creates 3D Printed Companion Cube Controller Holder | HappyGamer
A Portal fan has created a 3D-printed holder for the Steam controller, designed to resemble the iconic Companion Cube. The snap-together design requires no glue and is engineered for material efficiency. The creator plans to release the STL files for free on Makerworld next week, with potential for adaptations for other controller types.
14 years ago, Valve boss Gabe Newell thought Steam would be replaced by something else in "2 or 3 years" because things always "change dramatically"
In 2011, Valve co-founder Gabe Newell predicted that Steam would be replaced within two to three years, believing that digital distribution platforms were inherently unstable. He cited the rapid rise and fall of social gaming and the unique success of the Nintendo Wii's motion controls as examples of dramatic industry shifts. Despite competition from platforms like EA's Origin and Games for Windows, Steam ultimately became the dominant PC game storefront.
Slay the Spire 2 "may not be perfectly balanced yet," Half-Life writer and Valve veteran Erik Wolpaw says, but with 1,500 hours in the first game he has no doubt Mega Crit will pull it off
Valve writer Erik Wolpaw, known for his work on Half-Life 2 and Portal, shared his thoughts on Slay the Spire 2, stating that while it may not be perfectly balanced yet, he has confidence in developer Mega Crit. Wolpaw, who has over 1,500 hours in the original Slay the Spire, is currently playing the sequel extensively, both solo and in co-op.
