In a post on the official PlayStation Blog, Valve Software’s Doug Lombardi has revealed some enticing new details on the special features we can expect from the PlayStation 3 version of Portal 2, including full support for functionality found in Steam.

Steam is of course Valve’s digital distribution service through which the company sells games and delivers new content and patches to existing games

It’s also a network used for online game play, Steam achievements, online chat, social connections, online game saves and the storing of game preferences for use over multiple devices.

Portal 2 on PlayStation 3 will have access to most all of Steam’s features, but what’s really great about the integration of the network into this version of the game is the opportunity to play cooperatively online with owners of PC or Mac versions of Portal 2.

You’ll also be able to make use of Steam’s online save feature, so you can save co-op and singleplayer game progress and continue again on any PS3.

Lombardi explains further:

“Steam makes its appearance on the PS3 as an overlay within Portal 2. Here, the Steam overlay provides access to Steam Friends, displaying their in-game or online status and providing a quick pathway to text chats, player profiles, friend requests, and game invites.

“Steam Achievements are earned in lockstep with PSN Trophies and are also accessible within the Steam overlay. Steam on the PS3 provides access to all of these features once the player has linked their PlayStation Network account with a Steam account,” Lombardi continues, “which is done right within the game. A Steam user can login to an existing account, and anyone new to Steam can create an account with the click of a button.”

Lombardi goes on to claim that “[w]ith all these features, Portal 2 on the PS3 is the best console version of the game, just as it was suggested it would be back at E3 last year.”

Oh dear. I’m sure Xbox 360 owners would have something to say about that, and the fact that these Steam features aren’t included in that version of Portal 2…

El33tonline is mega-excited for Portal 2 on all platforms, and we’re looking forward to its release next week, on April 19th in North America, and then April 21st everywhere else.

Have you seen those excellent sales pitch videos starring Portal 2 and Aperture Science Labs’ Cave Johnson? Check ‘em out via El33tonline’s previous looks at Portal 2.

Source: US PlayStation Blog