Countdown suggests early Portal 2 launch

A countdown clock featured on the website of fictional Portal 2 company Aperture Science ends today at 5pm, with reports suggesting Portal 2 will be made available via Steam at this time.

The website states: “The time is near, humans. But it is not here yet. Tomorrow you will be given the final test. Then it will be entirely in your hands when I am freed.”

In this case, “when I’m freed” could mean when Portal 2 is released – possibly at 5pm today.

Discussion of the early release for Valve’s first-person puzzler began after a post by Dejobaan Games, developer of 1… 2… 3… Kick It! Drop That Beat Like An Ugly Baby. The game forms part of the discounted Steam Potato Sack bundle: compilation of games participating in the Portal 2 ARG this week.

Dejobaan Games wrote: “I released Kick It ahead of schedule. That was a test. My goal is to emancipate something else early. But they’re on to me. The system is on lockdown. I still have access to thirteen off-site chambers and am installing a test in each one. I am going to need a lot more test subjects to move forward. Waiting and am expecting immediate compliance. 4/19/2011_7AM=4/15/2011_9AM.”

Look at the dates at the end of that post: April 19 is the previously announced launch date, but April 15 is today!!!

Let’s see what happens come 5pm.