Portal 2 PS3 Has Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Free PC Version

Valve Software revealed more details about the previously-announced Steam support for the PlayStation 3 version of the upcoming puzzle-heavy shooter Portal 2. Newly-announced Steam features in the PS3 version of the game include support for PC/Mac-to-PS3 multiplayer play, cloud-based storage of PS3 save games and cross-platform chat (there is no announced support for PS3-to-PC/Mac cloud-based game saves). When the game launches on PS3 in April this year, it will be the first time that PC-derived Steam functionality will appear on any home console. The game is coming to PS3, PC, Mac and Xbox 360, the latter of which will not have Steam functionality. PlayStation 3 gamers who buy Portal 2 will also be able to unlock a Steam Play copy of the game (i.e. the full PC/Mac version) for free by linking their PlayStation Network accounts with Steam. In the PS3's earlier years, Valve head Gabe Newell had been critical of PS3's complex architecture, and in more recent years admitted a relative lack of support for Valve PS3 games. But at E3 in 2010, Newell said the PS3 version would be the best console version of the game. "We made a promise to gamers at E3 that Portal 2 for the PlayStation 3 would be the best console version of the product," said Valve president Gabe Newell in a statement. "Working together with Sony we have identified a set of features we believe are very compelling to gamers. We hope to expand upon the foundation being laid in Portal 2 with more Steam features and functionality in DLC and future content releases," he added. "We designed the Portal 2 PS3 experience to be very straightforward for gamers," explained Portal 2 project lead Josh Weier. "PS3 gamers will be able to simply drop the Blu-Ray disc in the PS3, link to their Steam account from inside the game, and all their Steam friends (on PC and Mac) will be visible and accessible for chat and game invites."