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Valve: We Have a Surprise For You!

by - source: Tom's Hardware UK

Valve is ditching its big Portal 2 event at E3 2010 for a bigger, better surprise.

Tuesday evening we received a rather unusual email from Valve Software. On one hand , it shuffles in a bit of bad news for fans heading out to E3 2010 later this month. Apparently the developer is no longer planning its big Portal 2 reveal, but instead will showcase something it's keeping under wraps until the event. Given that Portal 2 is a huge release for Valve, setting it aside for something else has us wondering if Half-Life: Episode 3 will finally rear it's head.

Anyway, check out the mysterious email:

Dear Subject Name Here,

Aperture Science is pleased to inform you that we have partnered with Valve to announce the gala CANCELLATION of the June 14 Portal 2 event at the Regal Theater. The event will be replaced by a surprise. And even though the cancellation of the event certainly counts as a surprise, we are pleased to further announce that the cancellation of the event is not THE surprise. However, per International treaties regarding the definition of the word "surprise", of which both Aperture Science and Valve are signatories, the time, date and content of the actual surprise will only become available as you experience the surprise.

If you'd like to ask fruitless questions about the E3 Portal 2 surprise or, more fruitfully, schedule an appointment to attend a Portal 2 screening at the Valve booth during E3, please contact Valve's Special Envoy to Surprises.

Thank you for <<RECORD SCRATCH!!!>>

PS: The surprising record scratch is also not the surprise.

So what's the big surprise? Again, it may be Episode 3. The email itself is reminiscent of the Minerva episodic series created by Adam Foster, or at least, his method of writing. Foster announced almost two years ago that he joined Valve to work on the third episode, however details have been scarce ever since.

Could this be Half-Life 3? There's speculation. Tell us what you think... this could even be a brand new IP!

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wonspur 02/06/2010 21:28
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pfft, its the engineer update weve been waiting for, and maybe some of the missing tf2 "meet the team" videos.

on a more serious note, a new engine would be amazing with half-life 3 in the works going with it. I would really like to see what they do.

underpatch 02/06/2010 21:42
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it must be hello kitty island advenure 2 ..... woooot ... !

blubbey 02/06/2010 22:06
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If only more emails were this entertaining.

flaminggerbil 02/06/2010 22:12
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LFD3 anyone?

If that is the surpise then blood will flow at E3 this year, rabid HL2 fans will have vengeance.

sonnywoj 02/06/2010 22:28
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Half Life 3 porno?

proletarian 02/06/2010 22:28
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i've been waiting for episode 3 for longer than the age of both my children combined.



better f**kin' do it.


b**tards!

Clintonio 02/06/2010 22:38
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flaminggerbil :
LFD3 anyone?If that is the surpise then blood will flow at E3 this year, rabid HL2 fans will have vengeance.


If they do that, I will NEVER buy a Valve game again.

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU HALF LIFE BANBOIIII RAGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

2 billion penguins 02/06/2010 22:43
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the surprise is a lie!?
(I dont trust aperture science >.>)

On a more serious note.. Episode 3 would be great.

Anonymous 02/06/2010 23:14
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Duke Nukem Forever

Anonymous 02/06/2010 23:14
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Duke Nukem Forever

Ko0lHaNDLuKe 02/06/2010 23:16
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Everyone chant now: Half-Life 3. Half-Life 3. Half-Life 3!

excalibur1814 03/06/2010 12:00
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Half Life 3, but only on the mac.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

LePhuronn 03/06/2010 12:24
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If this isn't Episode 3 I'm also going on a fanboi rage

wonspur 03/06/2010 12:36
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i was actually looking forward to portal 2 videos considering i love co-op play amongst my friends rather than random idiots online.

TegGhola 03/06/2010 03:37
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I reckon the surprise will be delivery of that cake we were promised on more than one occasion.

Failing that, finding out that Half-Life Episode 3 is complete and features the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device would be a welcome alternative.

Fox Montage 03/06/2010 12:03
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Portal 2 would have been nice to see, but we know we're getting this anyway. L4D3? I don't think they'll do this so soon after L4D2, considering the reaction last time. HL3 would be cool, but what I really want to see is a new DX11 source engine. I think everyone can picture how awesome that would be.

princeofdreams 03/06/2010 12:03
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Half life 2 episode 3, OR Half life 3?

My guess (based on very wishful thinking) is HL2 episode 3 is ready, and at the same time they will release tech demo's of the new valve engine being used for HL 3.

I doubt they would say HL 3 is ready, so it has to be HL 2 episode 3. Valve are notoriously slow at releasing their new engines so a tech demo and a 2 year wait for HL 3

mi1ez 03/06/2010 12:37
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ep3 or HL3, not bothered which!

PLEEEEAAAASE!

kaprikawn 03/06/2010 13:08
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Steam for Linux.

mi1ez 03/06/2010 15:52
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kaprikawn wrote :

Steam for Linux.



ooooh!
maybe
although i'd prefer some dx11 loveliness!

Darkwand3r3r 03/06/2010 16:26
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Maybe ep3 will be HL3 because they had too much to tell and and episode wasn't big enough.
Here's to hoping that whatever they're working on HL related gets finished asap!

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