Portal 2 PS3 Steamworks features detailed

Valve details the Steamworks features you can expect from the PlayStation 3 version of Portal 2, and reveals how you'll link the accounts to access them.

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We knew that Portal 2 is going to include Steamworks, but now Valve has detailed those features.

The specific feature set included with the Steamworks will be cross-platform match-making and play, friends lists, chat, and achievements. It will also include Steam Cloud saves, allowing users to start a game on the PlayStation 3 and continue it on another PS3.

Similar to playing PC games on Steam, it will serve as an overlay within the game itself. This lets users quickly access Steam friends, game invites, and so on. Steam Achievements are also linked to the account, so you'll be earning them and PlayStation Trophies simultaneously when you play on PS3. Score.

You'll need to link your PlayStation Network account to your Steam account in-game to access the features, but it seems like a simple enough process. And of course, if you don't have an account, you can create one for free. Valve has set up a FAQs page for more information.

Portal 2 is due out for the PC, Mac, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 next Tuesday, April 19. If you've got a hankering for more Portaly goodness before then, check out our recent preview and interview with project lead Joshua Weier and writer Erik Wolpaw.

Editor-In-Chief
From The Chatty
  • reply
    April 13, 2011 11:45 AM

    Comment on Portal 2 PS3 Steamworks features detailed, by Steve Watts.

    • reply
      April 13, 2011 11:51 AM

      Besides cross-platform coop (PS3,PC,Mac) go fuck yourselves, Xbox users there is cloud-saving between all 3 platforms as well. So you can save on your PC and continue on your PS3.

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        April 13, 2011 11:51 AM

        Note:

        Game saves and progress from a PlayStation®3 are incompatible with other platforms (i.e. Windows or Mac). Steam Cloud data from a PlayStation®3 can only be used with another PlayStation®3 logged in to the same PSN ID.

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          April 13, 2011 11:53 AM

          From the bottom of FAQs page. https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=5477-WPJM-9388

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          April 13, 2011 12:01 PM

          Boo

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          April 13, 2011 12:07 PM

          Interesting that they're using steamcloud when cloud saves are one of the features of PSN+.

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            April 13, 2011 12:15 PM

            I think when they announced that PSN+ wasn't finalized yet?

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          April 14, 2011 6:02 AM

          Well that sucks.. that was one of the reasons I was looking forward to steamworks on the ps3 for this game. I wanted to play portal 2 on my 65" TV + surround sound... and when the controller got frustrating I would save and get past the annoying part on my PC.

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        April 13, 2011 12:01 PM

        Here's why you would want the cloud save support for the Mac:

        http://thenextweb.com/shareables/files/2010/05/PortalMacRage.jpg

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        April 13, 2011 12:15 PM

        I really don't know what Valve hopes to accomplish with putting Steamworks on PS3.

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          April 13, 2011 12:18 PM

          well the main obvious goal is to advertise steam, you're required to make a steam account to play online on ps3 so theres some nice marketing there

          the other goal...that I wish would happen, is if other companies implement steamworks on ps3, and in the end we dont have to use the psn friends list to chat/join games. steam is so much cleaner and intuitive

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            April 13, 2011 12:33 PM

            I would love this. PSN is incredibly shitty.

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              April 13, 2011 12:47 PM

              While I agree, I just don't see Sony giving that much control over to another company for their online service. And if it does take off for some games, now you have two friends lists to deal with on PS3 (granted most people already have a Steam friends list, but there are going to be LOTS of people who don't).

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          April 13, 2011 12:18 PM

          World domination.

        • reply
          April 13, 2011 12:47 PM

          [deleted]

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            April 13, 2011 2:17 PM

            What are doing with XBL users piss?

            Or do you mean Piss off XBL users?

            It's very confusing when people don't know how to write.

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          April 13, 2011 12:50 PM

          I thought control over patches and content updates was a big reason

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          April 13, 2011 12:53 PM

          Quicker patches?

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          April 13, 2011 1:02 PM

          Make MS look retarded as usual. They did it on the PC.

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            April 13, 2011 1:09 PM

            I don't think that's it. They sold a lot of Left 4 Dead franchise on the XBOX. I think Sony was willing to give them something for exclusive content, and not really thinking about the long term plans Valve (or even Sony) might have. Hence why you have PSN+ cloud storage and now Steamworks cloud storage.

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            April 13, 2011 1:39 PM

            Sometimes I wonder if Gabe has a small chip on his shoulder from the years he spent at MS. Not to say that's what motivated Steamworks on PS3, the reasoning behind that is clear.

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              April 13, 2011 1:46 PM

              Did he leave Microsoft on bad terms? I haven't read anything that would indicate that.

              I think it just has to do with the fact that Sony will allow Valve more freedom than they had on XBox Live. TF2 updates were a disaster, and I don't think Valve wants to at least prevent that from happening again on one console.

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                April 13, 2011 1:50 PM

                Yea, the whole TF2 thing was a mess, but when you look at the DLC situation with Left 4 Dead franchise, even though the PC guys got all that for free, it's not like the 360 content didn't move at all.

                I understand Valve wanted to bring that experience to the 360, but they don't control all the parts like they do on the PC, so I think there were some personality issues to where they were being told to play by the rules and they felt like they should be given a cart blanche to do whatever they wanted. It's obvious there are ways to get FREE DLC on XBL, other companies have put out significant FREE DLC. Valve just doesn't have the luxury of being self-published on the 360 and that has more to do with TF2 issues than Microsoft.

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                  April 13, 2011 1:55 PM

                  The way to get free DLC on the 360 is to offer it for free on the PS3. They didn't make or maintain the PS3 port of TF2, so they were kind of screwed in terms of being able to update TF2 content.

                  The other thing is that all updates need to go through Microsoft. My understanding is that with Steam on the PS3, that Valve will have control over the updates and will be able to push them out at the same time as the PC/Mac updates without any interference. If I'm wrong then someone correct me.

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                    April 13, 2011 2:31 PM

                    PS3 updates still have to go through certification. The main advantages of Steam on PS3 is stuff like Steamcloud, matchmaking etc.

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              April 13, 2011 1:51 PM

              I wouldn't say so, quite the contrary. From what I heard he made a lot of money out of Microsoft, and you could see until very recently that all their development and software was VERY MS-centric (SDK relies on Visual Studio, Steam used IEView, CS/HL used native windows UI controls)... nothing indicates they dislike Microsoft.

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        April 13, 2011 12:51 PM

        i wonder how useful cloud saving would even be between PS3 and PC. do people really imagine themselves playing through the SP between platforms?

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      April 13, 2011 12:11 PM

      ha the steam overlay is in the ps3 version too
      http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/04/13/valve-reveals-portal-2-for-playstation-3-steam-details/

      i can text chat with you mofos on ps3! would be crazy if other companies started using steamworks for ps3.....the xbox live invite/join system definitely works well so it'd be nice of valve took the initiative to just do everything for sony

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        April 13, 2011 12:17 PM

        I don't see that being beneficial for either company (in the long-term). Yea, Sony could get better stuff to compete against Microsoft right now if they outsourced to Valve, and Valve gets more steam users, but what does that mean down the road? And what if Sony decides to go a different direction? Valve would have invested a lot in helping them, and be out in the cold then.

        I see this as what it was, a niche announcement to "one up" Microsoft at the time of the announcement, and it will fade away into obscure gaming history quietly and quickly.

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          April 13, 2011 1:22 PM

          I dunno, legitimate cross-platform multiplayer is amazing. Maybe you're right, but this is a huge deal to me and I hope it's a sign of things to come.

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            April 13, 2011 1:47 PM

            Yes it is, and that's where XBOX Live has beat PSN hands-down. Steamworks would be nice, but unless Sony just makes it system-wide now you have TWO friends lists to manage on the PS3, and that's not the best long-term strategy for Sony to have for PSN to compete with XBL.

            Valve got an opportunity given to them on the PS3, and I'm not sure Sony realized what they gave up by getting that exclusive Portal 2 content onto the PS3.

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              April 13, 2011 1:48 PM

              When it comes to cross-platform play, XBL has PSN beat? Is this a Shadowrun/GFWL joke?

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                April 13, 2011 1:51 PM

                I'm sorry, I misread and thought we were talking about the friends list and stuff like that. Yea, there hasn't been much cross-PLATFORM play other than Shadowrun.

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                  April 15, 2011 4:02 AM

                  Blazblu, Lost Planet and Universe at War were cross-platform.

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          April 13, 2011 1:45 PM

          Valve isn't helping Sony in any way. PSN already had cloud save, friends and chat features. It's more about Valve getting to bring Steam onto the playstation, which is a large market for them they've been unable to directly reach.

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            April 13, 2011 1:52 PM

            At the time this was announced (originally) there was no PSN+ cloud save feature.

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            April 13, 2011 1:53 PM

            And they aren't really bringing full Steam to the PS3, only a limited feature set. It's not like they'll be selling direct to PS3 games anytime in the future. And I doubt Sony would EVER allow that.

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              April 13, 2011 1:55 PM

              All of which makes my point that this is more for Valve's benefit to reach new customers (and provide a middlewear client for PS3 developers) than Sony's. Sony has no need for what Steamworks brings.

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                April 13, 2011 2:07 PM

                If Capcom said 'OK now you PS3 people can play the Steam-PC people in Street Fighter', it seems like it would be a giant win for all involved.

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                  April 13, 2011 2:19 PM

                  For Capcom. Sony doesn't care about PC sales. It's not like it is going to noticeably increase the number of sales for the PS3 version (unless they give away a free PC version too, like Valve is doing).

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      April 13, 2011 12:23 PM

      Imagine if steam became the digital download service of choice for the consoles too. One system to rule them all so to speak.

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      April 13, 2011 1:00 PM

      I am playing Portal 1 again, this time with the dev commentary. Man, Valve can really do no wrong.

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      April 13, 2011 1:09 PM

      Can you play Co-op with 1 person playing on the PS3 and the other playing on the PC with the same PC steam account that is linked to the PS3? Just curious.

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        April 13, 2011 1:14 PM

        all signs point to yes, 1 time access code for pc, infinite access code for ps3(since you need the disc anyways to play, thats antipiracy enough)

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        April 13, 2011 2:01 PM

        No.

        From the FAQ page:
        "Can two players play online co-op with each other using a single purchase of Portal 2 for PlayStation®3?

        Only PlayStation®3 split-screen co-op can be played using a single copy of the game. When you purchase a new copy of Portal 2 for PlayStation®3, you will receive an in-box code which provides your linked Steam account with access to your copy of Portal 2 on your computer. The game is still owned by only a single Steam account--another copy will be required to play online co-op with a friend."

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          April 13, 2011 6:58 PM

          That's a real missed opportunity I think. You could allow a PS3 and a PC on the same LAN with the same copy to play with each other and do the separation of versions if it's over the Internet.

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            April 13, 2011 7:08 PM

            Someone yesterday was saying it might be possible if you make a new PSN & Steam account for the PS3 version. I know the key is a one time use thing for the free PC version, but I don't think the PS3 game itself has online restrictions to a single account.

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              April 13, 2011 7:09 PM

              don't think = don't know if.

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      April 13, 2011 1:24 PM

      http://chattypics.com/files/CapturePNG_pydk7klnghbz56pyi2x9.png

      The 33 people on that want list need to be buying the game now!

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      April 13, 2011 1:52 PM

      Imagine if Sony used Steamworks to combat piracy of all of their games in some way. They could add Steamworks to Uncharted 3, Resistance 3, Ratchet and Clank, etc to prevent piracy, streamline game updates, etc. Valve needs to make this deal happen, that would be fucking awesome.

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        April 15, 2011 4:04 AM

        Sony owns SecuRom, I think they would make their own serial system before they signed that over to Valve.

        Why exactly would it be awesome for more DRM on games?

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      April 13, 2011 3:38 PM

      Excited? of course I am http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/04/13/portal-2-writer-says-it-39-s-the-best-valve-single-player-game-ever.aspx here's another article -- Portal 2 Writer Says It's The Best Valve Single-Player Game Ever... Valve doesn't just say things like this so I'll take their word for it :P

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      April 13, 2011 4:13 PM

      [deleted]

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      April 13, 2011 4:48 PM

      Steam on a console. Killer combo. This is a key feature that more games should support. Titles that take advantage of cross platform play and community will do better than their stove piped rivals.

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      April 13, 2011 7:18 PM

      Can I buy the PS3 version w/o a PS3 and still activate the PC version on Steam?

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