Portal 2 opening February 9

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.