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It may not be Portal 3, but Valve will be releasing a new game in that universe on March 1. Aperture Desk Job is a free short that "walks you through the handheld’s controls and features," showing you a day in the life of an entry-level nobody on their first day at Aperture Science, the company responsible behind all the events of the Portal games. While intended to be a tutorial of sorts for the Steam Deck, Aperture Desk Job is playable on a standard PC with a controller (mouse and keyboard not supported).

Aperture Desk Job reimagines the been-there-done-that genre of walking simulators and puts them in the lightning-spanked, endorphin-gorged world of sitting still behind things.

You play as an entry-level nobody on their first day at work — your heart full of hope and your legs full of dreams, eager to climb that corporate ladder. But life’s got other plans, and they all involve chairs.

Designed as a free playable short for Valve’s new Steam Deck, Desk Job walks you through the handheld’s controls and features, while not being nearly as boring as that sounds.

Not Portal 3!

Lower your expectations: This is not a sequel to Portal. Now get ready to raise them slightly, because it is in the expanded universe of those games. Desk Job puts you squarely in the driver’s seat at Aperture Science. Then quickly removes the driving part and adds a desk in front of the seat.

Steam Deck: A Desk For Your Hands

Up until now, real life mostly involved sitting, and video games were the virtual fantasy world you could escape to. With the portable Steam Deck, we flipped that, freeing your body to run marathons and jump out of planes while your brain and hands simulate all the sitting you used to do.

It’s F-R-E-E (Free)!

Put that wallet away, gaming fan! Your money’s no good here. For this particular product. If your money stops working while trying to buy groceries, though, you should contact your bank immediately, because the cashier just stole your entire identity? You’d better go talk to her again, because what do you mean she never worked here?! Now you’ll have to go undercover as a dark web hacker to track her down! Only to find out it was a different timeline you?!! From the future?!?! And also if anyone from Hollywood is reading this bullet point, take your wallet back out, because this great idea is not free (but is for sale at [email protected] )

Aperture Desk Job Steam page

 

[Taleweaver]

A free demo? That's nice.

But since it's valve, I'll wait for a discount regardless.

 

[Lostbhoy]

Just simply....... What????

Is this aimed at the unemployed or something? I don't understand one bit of this. I feel old...

 

[subcon959]

This feels like inception shenanigans

 

[RAHelllord]

That's very weird, but sounds like a cute little project if nothing else.

I wonder if it is (or was) intended as a sort of tech demo for presentations? Something you'd see in a booth at E3 or similar for visitors to poke at for 15 minutes.

 

[hamohamo]

I'll literally do anything for a portal 3.

 

[rehevkor]

Sounds akin to The Lab game they made for VR. A fun diversion, but nothing revolutionary. I'll check it out though!

 

[HarveyHouston]

LOL, wut? Okay, this I've got to try! Perhaps if I like this tutorial to the Steam Deck, I'll like the Steam Deck itself!

 

[raxadian]

This is cool, unfortunately even if I had the money I really need a better PC first so no Steam deck for me.

 

[samcambolt270]

Is this aimed at the unemployed or something? I don't understand one bit of this. I feel old...

What? What in the world do you think this even is? Why would you think such a game would be aimed at the unemployed in the first place!? Do you think unemployed people would want to play a work game instead of a fun one just to simulate the excitement of a tedious job!? That makes literally no sense. It's just job themed. It's made to look like a job from the pov of a person in the universe of portal while teaching the player how to use the steam deck interface and features. It's not hard to comprehend.

 

[samcambolt270]

Just simply....... What????

Is this aimed at the unemployed or something? I don't understand one bit of this. I feel old...

What? What in the world do you think this even is? Why would you think such a game would be aimed at the unemployed in the first place!? Do you think unemployed people would want to play a work game instead of a fun one just to simulate the excitement of a tedious job!? That makes literally no sense. It's just job themed. It's made to look like a job from the pov of a person in the universe of portal while teaching the player how to use the steam deck interface and features. It's not hard to comprehend.

 

[Lostbhoy]

What? What in the world do you think this even is? Why would you think such a game would be aimed at the unemployed in the first place!? Do you think unemployed people would want to play a work game instead of a fun one just to simulate the excitement of a tedious job!? That makes literally no sense. It's just job themed. It's made to look like a job from the pov of a person in the universe of portal while teaching the player how to use the steam deck interface and features. It's not hard to comprehend.

Lol.... Easy fanboy! Get a job then you'll know!! ps... I still don't get it but i hope you enjoy it!

 

[apaltado]

Just simply....... What????

Is this aimed at the unemployed or something? I don't understand one bit of this. I feel old...

probably free because it's super short, i finished it in like 45 minutes

 

[samcambolt270]

Lol.... Easy fanboy! Get a job then you'll know!! ps... I still don't get it but i hope you enjoy it!

Lol, saying that what you said was dumb apparently equals "being a fanboy" and therefore "must not have a job." Go back to twitter where you belong XD