Latest news with #Portal2
Metro
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Portal 2 is no longer the highest rated video game on Steam
For 14 years, there's been no change in the most popular game on Steam, but Portal 2 has finally been dethroned – but not by a new title. Although user ratings on other websites are often subject to review bombing and general console-warring the ones on Steam are generally considered to be pretty accurate, in large part because they get far more votes than most other equivalents. Everyone can see the stats for how many positive reviews there've been but there's no list of the most popular on Steam itself. However, a third party website has collated all the information together and offered up a top 250, which until recently had 2011 first person puzzle game Portal 2 at number one. Clearly, everyone loves Portal, but in a shock turn of events it is no longer top dog and has instead been replaced by… 2016 title Stardew Valley. That's not too surprising as while Portal 2 has been pretty much trapped in amber since it came out, Stardew Valley has been receiving a steady supply of updates and fan mods ever since, even if creator Eric 'ConcernedApe' Barone keeps trying to draw a line under it all. Despite coming up on its 10th anniversary, farming sim Stardew Valley broke its own concurrent player record last year and with the release of its most recent update saw player numbers rise to a recent high of almost 150,000 players. The difference between Portal 2 and Stardew Valley's scores is minute, and they could easily swap places again. Although given how often Stardew Valley gets new content it's perhaps surprising it's taken this long to overtake Portal 2. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. Number three title Terraria is also very close, although we're going to admit we've never heard of People Playground at number four. It only costs £7.19 (and is 85% off at the moment, at just £1.07) and doesn't seem to be a game at all, but some sort of sandbox environment for causing harm to stick people. For the record, the rest of the Steam 250 top 10 is composed of Left 4 Dead 2, Vampire Survivors, Hades, Euro Truck Simulator, Schedule I, and the original Portal. More Trending ConcernedApe is currently working on a new game called Haunted Chocolatier, although whether it'll prove as popular as Stardew Valley is impossible to say, especially as it still doesn't have a release date. Although there're occasional rumblings from Valve, indicating they might get back into making single-player games, Portal 2 still remains their last traditional one – unless you count 2020 VR title Half-Life: Alyx. There was also tech demo Aperture Desk Job, which is set in the Portal universe and is essentially the Steam Deck equivalent of Astro's Playroom or Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour. There's never been any serious talk of a Portal 3 though. There have been new whispers of an imminent Half-Life 3 reveal recently, but as usual it's not resulted in any kind of official annoucement, although given how secretive Valve can be that doesn't necessarily mean it's definitely not happening. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Elden Ring Nightreign was the best-selling video game in May in the US MORE: Switch 2 owner banned for playing second-hand Switch 1 games MORE: Play The Last Of Us Part 2 in chronological order thanks to a new update
Express Tribune
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Stardew Valley surpasses Portal 2 to become Steam's top-rated game
Stardew Valley has surpassed Valve's Portal 2 to become the top-rated game on Steam, nearly a decade after its release. The cosy farming simulator, created by solo developer ConcernedApe, was first released almost ten years ago and continues to attract a large and active community. Over the years, it has received updates introducing new NPCs, multiplayer features and additional content, helping to maintain its popularity. As of July 2025, Stardew Valley has overtaken Portal 2 on Steam's top-rated list with a score of 8.87 from 899,309 votes, according to Steam250. Portal 2, released in 2011 and widely considered a classic for its puzzles, mechanics and humour, now holds the second spot with a score of 8.85 from 436,510 votes. The list, based on user reviews, frequently changes, but Stardew Valley's rise to the top marks a notable achievement for the indie title, which has been praised for its relaxing gameplay and pixel art style. ConcernedApe has previously indicated the possibility of a sequel to Stardew Valley, although he is currently focused on his upcoming game, Haunted Chocolatier.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Xfinity's New Ultra Low-Lag Internet Could Be Big For Gamers. Here's Why
Xfinity home internet users, your experience is about to get better thanks to this new Comcast upgrade. If you're a gamer, this upgrade could impact you the most. In January, Comcast announced a new technology that would significantly reduce your network latency, bringing a smoother experience for Apple, Meta, Nvidia and Valve's Steam users. Whether prepping for a FaceTime call with your friends, streaming a new show or getting ready to play Portal 2, this news might be music to your ears. Read on to learn which cities will have this upgrade first. Xfinity Internet is available to more than 63 million homes nationwide. A spokesperson from Xfinity tells CNET that working latency was reduced by 78% after trials on this new technology. Xfinity's launching of a new open standard technology means that it will be for public use, but it may take some time before it's fully integrated and available across the country. According to a company press release, this new technology will significantly lower users' latency, which will be optimal for a smoother online and gaming experience. In most markets, Xfinity users can expect maximum download speeds of 1,000 or 1,200 megabits per second, which is plenty for the average American household. But speeds aren't everything. 'Modern applications are real-time and interactive and require more than just fast speeds. Xfinity Internet's lower lag times will be a differentiator for Comcast,' Emily Waldorf, senior vice president of consumer products for Comcast Connectivity and Platforms, writes in a company press release. As you've heard from CNET time and time again, fiber internet is generally our top pick due to its fast, symmetrical speeds and overall value for your service. But Xfinity's cable internet also features solid speeds and a wide variety of plan selections. This launch of its low-latency technology could significantly enhance its cable internet service. According to the latest data from the Federal Communications Commission, Xfinity's cable internet offerings are available to over 34% of the country, so this impacts approximately one in every three households. But why is Xfinity's new working latency so important in the first place? This is not to be confused with traditional or 'idle latency,' which measures how fast data is transferred from one point to another on the network. Working latency measures a connection's actual lag or delay under normal circumstances. For example, working latency is the delay you may experience while using multiple applications simultaneously. In other words, this technology could benefit videoconferencing, online gaming and virtual reality. The higher the latency, the more lag gamers can experience throughout a game. If you're playing a game with high stakes, your latency can make or break your gaming experience. According to a recent report from Liquid Web, over a thousand gamers were surveyed on the effects of latency and 95% complained about experiencing latency issues while gaming. These gamers were reported to play games on PC, Xbox, Playstation and Nintendo. Here are some of the key findings from that report that provide a better picture of how important latency is: 78% of gamers rage quit due to latency issues while gaming, with Xbox gamers the most likely to do so at 85%. 58% of Call of Duty gamers are most likely to rage quit due to latency issues, followed by Fortnite at 43% and Counter-Strike 2 at 42%. 16% of gamers report that latency issues lead to lingering frustration or anger outside of gaming, lasting for an average of 19 minutes afterward. It's safe to say that a low latency can benefit many gamers, ensuring less frustration and a better overall gaming experience. Apple: Your FaceTime calls will be better supported on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV and Apple Vision Pro. Meta's mixed reality headsets: A lower latency could enhance your immersion experience for mixed reality headsets like Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S. Cloud-based gaming: Low latency will best serve cloud-based gaming platforms like Nvidia's GeForce Now, allowing you to stream games on many devices. Valve's Steam games: A lag-free gaming experience is preferable for avid gamers. This means you don't have to pause your game for Half-Life: Alyx or Portal 2. This new technology will be available for different Xfinity gateway router models, such as the XB6, XB7 and XB8. But it won't be rolled out to all Xfinity cities immediately. Once this software has been fully integrated, all other modems will be equipped with this technology down the road. Residents in cities like Atlanta, Chicago, Colorado Springs, Philadelphia, Rockville, Maryland, and San Francisco will soon have access to this new software upgrade. Comcast writes in a company press release that they plan on 'deploying [this technology] in more locations across the country rapidly over the next few months.' This is a new software upgrade available to Xfinity home internet users. This technology significantly lowers network latency and can improve the quality of gaming, streaming and even FaceTime calls. According to Xfinity, this technology can benefit Apple, Meta, Nvidia and Valve Steam users the most. Xfinity's new Ultra Low-lag technology deals with working latency, which measures a connection's actual lag or delay under normal circumstances. For instance, working latency can show up as the delay between a user's action and the results on a system. On the other hand, traditional or "idle latency" measures how fast data is transferred from one point to another on the network. At first, only a select few US cities will be able to access Xfinity's new software upgrade. Xfinity will deploy this technology first in these cities: Atlanta, Chicago, Colorado Springs, Philadelphia, Rockville, Maryland, and San Franciso. Comcast writes in a press release that they plan on "deploying [this technology] in more locations across the country rapidly over the next few months." Yes, Xfinity's new software upgrade will feature reduced latency. When gaming, you want to avoid a high latency; otherwise, you may experience excessive lag. A spokesperson from Xfinity tells CNET that working latency was reduced by 78% after conducting trials on this software. Overall, CNET recommends gamers to aim for a latency of 50 milliseconds or below to avoid lag while gaming.
