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Valve promising three 'surprises' within next 12 months

Portal 2 studio boss Gabe Newell says "people will be shocked again" by trio of announcements due over the coming year.

Valve dropped a sizable bombshell during the 2010 Electronic Entertainment Expo, when former PlayStation 3 critic Gabe Newell announced that Portal 2 would ship for Sony's console in addition to versions for the Xbox 360, PC, and Mac. What's more, Newell crowned the PS3 version of Portal 2 "the best console version of the game," due to its inclusion of Steamworks, which allows for auto-updates, downloadable content, and community support directly from Valve.

Portal 2 on the PS3 won't be Valve's only surprise.

Portal 2 on the PS3 won't be Valve's only surprise.

As it turns out, Portal 2's presence on the PS3 apparently won't be the only bit of shocking news from Valve in the near future. In an interview with PC Gamer magazine (and relayed by sister site CVG), Newell promised that his studio is planning to make three more surprising announcements over the coming year.

"We have three pretty big surprises in the next 12 months at least," Newell told the magazine. "I can guarantee you people are going to be surprised at stuff we do. That isn't going to stop anytime soon. I'm just laughing because…people will be shocked again."

One of those surprises may be Valve's involvement with Defense of the Ancients, a tower-defense-style game that began life as a map mod for Blizzard Entertainment's Warcraft III. Last month, prominent voice actor John St. John posted to his Twitter feed that he had traveled to Valve's studio in Washington to record for DOTA. Shortly thereafter, Valve filed an application to trademark the phrase "DOTA" for use in games with the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Another (arguably) surprising announcement would be that for Half-Life 2: Episode 3. Initially planned as a rapid-fire episodic series, Valve's Half-Life 2 expansions quickly took on a life of their own following the release of Episode 1 in June 2006. Episode 2 arrived more than a year after the first release in the series, coming bundled with Team Fortress 2 and Portal as part of The Orange Box in November 2007. Valve has not offered a time frame for the release of Episode 3.

647 Comments

  • mischiefmeerkat

    Posted Nov 15, 2011 10:14 am GMT

    it's pretty sad that everyones clamoring for a new half life, but valve is like "screw your halflife" and just doesn't do it. doesn't even announce it's cancelled! just doesn't do anything with it >_

  • Kirintar

    Posted Feb 10, 2011 5:26 pm GMT

    First: Portal 2
    Second: Cancellation of HL2: Episode 3
    Third: Half-Life 3

  • gun_blade25

    Posted Feb 1, 2011 9:46 pm GMT

    They should just go ahead and release half life 3. They've had 7 god damn years to develop it.

  • ProVibes

    Posted Jan 28, 2011 5:21 pm GMT

    The best game I have ever played. Can't wait for Ep 3.

  • carmig

    Posted Jan 22, 2011 9:22 am GMT

    Ooooh! Let me get my hopes up that you FINALLY have the infinitely/colossally overdue sequel HL2:Ep3 ready to release...in 2014.

  • freezyheat

    Posted Jan 20, 2011 10:03 pm GMT

    i love almost every valve game and own more than one on pc and console. i cant wait for portal 2 and i think im gonna die if the dont at least announce HL2:3 soon. but am i the only one who doesnt give a crap about anything to do with l4d

  • kevins3k

    Posted Jan 2, 2011 9:39 pm GMT

    Half Life 3 with new Counter Strike and Day of Defeat. Book it.

  • huddie

    Posted Nov 22, 2010 9:31 am GMT

    Forget Warcraft (snore) add-ons! Give us HL2 Episode 3 (or HL3) please!!!! Nothing matches HL for that great gameplay mix (horror / fun / problem solving / blasting / driving). Yes, I am a fan, but you can't deny it delivers.

  • chainsawscourge posted Nov 20, 2010 9:08 am GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    chainsawscourge

    Posted Nov 20, 2010 9:08 am GMT (hide)

    @GordonFrohman11 well portal maybie not the end of all (or whatever you said) but it is GREAT better than team fortress beter than l4d and way better than the hl series including blue sh*t and oposing forces.
    (and yea tf2 and L4D are both better than hl)

  • chainsawscourge posted Nov 20, 2010 9:03 am GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    chainsawscourge

    Posted Nov 20, 2010 9:03 am GMT (hide)

    Why does everyone here are hoping for hl3 I mean you already got episode 3 to look forward to isn't that egnof? I for once hope that one of the suprises will be l4d or tf related!
    Or maybie a new series...
    Yea L4D3 would be nice...

  • chainsawscourge

    Posted Nov 20, 2010 8:55 am GMT

    Oh damn portal 2 is delayed?! Come on! I mean first grow 3 now portal 2
    what next?!
    I'm pissed...
    I just hope they won't delay any other titles!!!
    Also I don't get this: why do they keep on with this episode rubish?
    Just release hl3! I mean the whole episodic idea is shorter games cheaper games and less waiting times!!! It have been 3 years since the last instalment!
    And hl2e2 was great don't get me wrong but it was way to short!!!
    I just hope that episode 3 will be at least 6 to 10 hours...

  • nunyerbiz

    Posted Nov 5, 2010 12:44 pm GMT

    I can't imagine them bothering with Ep3 at this point, they will probably just roll everything into HL3 for x-mas 2011. Either way, I've never cared much for the Half Life story anyways... bunch of trite sci-fi claptrap with the typical "wait for the next installament" stamp at the end of every game. Great games, don't get me wrong, I've played everything ever released for HL, but it was always the gameplay that kept me going... not the story.

  • tomemozok

    Posted Oct 24, 2010 2:10 pm GMT

    Hl2:Ep3 and Hl3 will be the surprises
    Dota allready announced,so...

  • carmig

    Posted Oct 19, 2010 10:31 am GMT

    How many more years do we have to wait for HL2: Episode 3? What an absolute pain! Something/Anything for cryin' out loud! Does anyone have Valve's corporate phone number?

  • alyxvance2731

    Posted Oct 18, 2010 2:39 pm GMT

    Ugh, Valve, I've been waiting so long on this Episode 3 that it is beginning to drift away from me under the barrage of other good looking new games... ones that are out right now, or within the year. I don't wanna become one less fan!

  • GordonFrohman11

    Posted Oct 9, 2010 2:43 am GMT

    Its a pity that Valve seems to have forgotten that people still play Counterstrike Source, Half Life 2 and Day of Defeat Source. Portal is not the end all and be all of gaming.

  • freakahmet

    Posted Oct 7, 2010 12:49 pm GMT

    i guess valve's story writers lost their minds so valve can't release the new episode
    how they can't release an episode in 3 years?

  • dlM0kn

    Posted Oct 2, 2010 1:44 pm GMT

    I just finished the HL2 episodes and OMG amazing game...even if it is just single player! PLEASE VALVE PLEASE RELEASE EPISODE 3 SOON! How will the war end??? I have to play and know!

  • naryanrobinson

    Posted Oct 1, 2010 9:11 pm GMT

    i wonder what they're going to do with Episode 3. They've spent so long on it now, saying they want to make it graphically amazing and perfect in every way, if it comes out and takes 4 hours to complete, it's going to be a bit of an anticlimax no matter how pretty it looks. when HL2 came out, i'm pretty sure we all thought we'd have HL3 by 2011

  • scorpion_great

    Posted Sep 30, 2010 8:12 am GMT

    Let me guess, the "Gold Box" which will include Episode 3, Portal 2, and Left 4 Dead 3 in one whole package. You heard it here first folks!

  • aleks_989

    Posted Sep 27, 2010 12:11 pm GMT

    Half Life was the first and most memorable game that I had ever played in my life (including sequels)...Valve ?! You defined FPS with you first....and since it has taken so much for another...make it worthy of remembrance once again !

  • Abrams

    Posted Sep 20, 2010 7:30 am GMT

    @RadicalToenail So True...but we can only hope...

  • Blk_Mage_Ctype

    Posted Sep 19, 2010 8:36 am GMT

    Great, Valve... In the mean time, how about some of those TF2 Updates for the PS3 Version?

  • RadicalToenail

    Posted Sep 18, 2010 3:56 pm GMT

    @Abrams
    One thing that they could actually do, if they cared about continuing OF and BS and not the money, is make a mod. It'd be 100% legal as long as they didn't sell it. That's what I'd do if I were Randy Pitchford...

    Give a little sumthin' sumthin' to fans...

    Otherwise they would have to go through a bunch of legal crap or get Valve's okay. But hey, Valve released a free game (and gave Portal away for a while), so why couldn't Gearbox?

  • Tennisobsessor1

    Posted Sep 18, 2010 3:37 pm GMT

    Alright, Valve. The time to be obscure and frustrating is long gone. The Half-Life games were great, but they're getting old. Snap out of it! Mr. Freeman doesn't like to be kept waiting!!! Portal 2? I dont care much. l4d1/2 dlc? big deal. WE WANT HALF-LIFE 3!!!!!

  • Abrams

    Posted Sep 18, 2010 11:31 am GMT

    @RadicalToenail In all honesty Gearbox my just tell them where to stick it and make their own again...of course it may be some court issues but I wish valve would recognize OF and BS. Take for example Duke Nukem Forever...no one really thought it was gonna come out but Gearbox had taken it and it's going to be released next year so there is hope.

  • RadicalToenail

    Posted Sep 17, 2010 10:50 pm GMT

    @Abrams
    Oh, yeah, I totally agree. I would love to have another Opposing Force, but there's a 95% chance that Valve will never do it. They disregard the events of BS and OF and say they never really happened in the Half-Life world.

    It's really unfortunate that they have so much hate for two expansions that really boosted the story...

  • Abrams

    Posted Sep 17, 2010 9:27 pm GMT

    @RadicalToenail if you say so man...Corporal Shepard will always live in my video game world...but like I said it would be nice to bring him back.

  • mrsksteph

    Posted Sep 17, 2010 10:49 am GMT

    Wake up Valve, wake up and smell the ashes.

    You leave the half-life world to waste away while pumping out mere curiosities like portal and left for dead..!?

    New Half-life, new Counterstrike!

    There would be no competition.

  • RaIn285

    Posted Sep 17, 2010 6:03 am GMT

    Give me EPISODE3 or give me death!

  • Nzilla

    Posted Sep 17, 2010 1:17 am GMT

    EPISODE 3, or half life 3 at this point. cmon, don't leave us hanging

  • RadicalToenail

    Posted Sep 11, 2010 2:54 pm GMT

    @The-Mosher
    @Abrams

    The thing about Opposing Force and Blue Shift, Gearbox's expansions of Half-Life 1, is that they aren't appreciated much by Valve.

    In fact, Valve and Gearbox have a little bit of hate for each other. Gearbox said some mean things about Valve and Valve has somewhat condemned Opposing Force and Blue Shift by basically saying they don't believe those games to really be apart of the Half-Life world.

    Unfortunately, this means there probably won't be anything else related to Adrian Shepherd any time soon. At least nothing official. You can always check out some mods though, or make your own!

  • The-Mosher

    Posted Sep 7, 2010 6:53 pm GMT

    @Abrams: True that. Its surprising in a way that people would forget about him so easily.

  • sanditi

    Posted Sep 7, 2010 12:45 pm GMT

    Thinking about it, HL ep 3 wouldn't be a surprise...as would other sequels. I'm starting to think it could be a new IP with new engine perhaps. And also a release date for HL ep 3 that wouldn't be expected, maybe even bundled with Portal 2. They could have just been keeping a very good secret with the development of the game, and be much further along than expected.

  • Abrams

    Posted Sep 7, 2010 8:26 am GMT

    They need to bring back Corporal Shepard...

  • s2-sohaib

    Posted Sep 6, 2010 10:27 pm GMT

    I disagree with everyone who Say's that they don't want Portal 2,and Left 4 Dead 3. I want them both BUT after the release of Half-Life 2 Episode 3

  • doktron

    Posted Sep 6, 2010 7:00 pm GMT

    dont want portal2 or leftfordead3; just want HALFLIFE2ep3....and so does just about everybody else !!!
    Are u listening, Valve?

  • mischiefmeerkat

    Posted Sep 6, 2010 1:36 pm GMT

    @mr_butterson you took the words right out of my mouth XD

    either that or ep. 3

    but for the love of god, something involving Half Life

  • Oozyrat

    Posted Sep 6, 2010 12:10 pm GMT

    @Meta33 Though companies are never to be trusted (just like politicians) Valve has clearly stated that L4D would never come to the PS3. They can always change their mind, but I'm just stating what I heard

  • Oozyrat

    Posted Sep 6, 2010 12:06 pm GMT

    Now would be a good time to say, "A new L4D is coming in 2011." I think we can all agree that the second one was a little too soon, but now would be a good time to release some info and to get a 2011 release date. I've never played Half Life (never really stuck out to me) but I think that a new one is definitely going to be announced soon. Hopefully a new Half Life and L4D will be announced, I'd be very happy for both Half Life fans and myself (plus it might be a good time to try Half Life too ... and to tear zombies to shreds)

  • maki1300

    Posted Sep 6, 2010 7:33 am GMT

    so what was the surprises in pax????

  • Lukesf2

    Posted Sep 5, 2010 2:15 pm GMT

    im hoping for a valve to try making a rts in the half life universe, a new source engine, and possibly a mmo, my preferred things would be a mmo and a rts but I'm okay with a new source engine though if all three were created then that would be frigging awesome

  • CitizenErased13

    Posted Sep 5, 2010 1:29 pm GMT

    I'm hoping for some sort of connection between Portal 2 and the Half Life series, after all they are in the same universe. Not just some stuid cameo but something that ties the story and hopefuly forces Valve to fully work on HL ep 3

  • NoseWeed619

    Posted Sep 5, 2010 10:50 am GMT

    I'm really feeling some Half Life 2: Episode 3 right about now. :]

  • SavoyPrime

    Posted Sep 5, 2010 10:21 am GMT

    Be nice to see something new from them...and not a shooter. >_>

  • Henninger

    Posted Sep 5, 2010 8:13 am GMT

    Its Valve they wont let us down.

  • simonli2575

    Posted Sep 5, 2010 7:42 am GMT

    My guess
    1) HL2 Ep.3
    2) Portal 2
    3) left 4 dead 2 DLC(More details on l4d blog)

  • mr_butterson

    Posted Sep 4, 2010 4:44 pm GMT

    Please be Half Life 3, please be Half Life 3.....

  • Zrt805

    Posted Sep 4, 2010 4:33 pm GMT

    1) Ep. 3 Canceled due to lack of interest.
    2) Left 4 Dead 3
    3) Portal 2 day one dlc (Paid, only with steam connection.)

    I'm right and you know it.

    Oh, and Gabe will talk about what he had for lunch, and its going to take up all the time he has for the announcement. So in reality, announcement one two and three will be "Doughnuts, pizza, steak, a sammich, some cookies, another sammich, 2 liters of Pepsi..."

  • bobshmow

    Posted Sep 4, 2010 4:18 pm GMT

    Episode 3 isn't coming folks. The big announcement is going to be Half-Life 3

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