Originally launched back in 2011, Portal 2 is one of the critically acclaimed puzzle games of seventh generation of consoles and one of the Valve's greatest IPs. For a single-player game, it would seem odd to receive a brand new update after ten years, but Portal 2 update 2021 is real and it brings some modern-day features to the game such as Vulkan support.

Portal 2 Update 2021 Patch Notes

Improvements:

  • Implemented a Vulkan render backend (currently accessible through the -vulkan command line parameter).
  • Improved compile time for Perpetual Training Initiative puzzles.
  • Improved advanced video settings descriptions.
  • Made the game Hi-DPI aware.
  • Smarter default video settings.
  • Improved resolution of player avatars throughout the game.
  • Players can now be invited to play co-op on controller.
  • Button text contrast and padding has been improved when using a controller.
  • Implemented a 360° Spin action.
  • The portalgun is now correctly affected by dynamic lights (projected textures) in the scene.
  • Improved client-side prediction for coop play.
  • Added the ability for workshop levels to pack particles into their map with a particles/map_manifest.txt.

Misc:

  • Rendering optimizations.
  • Added an icon to the game on Linux.
  • Removed the "Trading Coming Soon" button.

Bug Fixes:

  • Fixed a crash on startup that could happen on Linux.
  • Fixed a crash that could occur in some community test chambers using BEEMod on Linux.
  • Fixed the credits being corrupted on Linux.
  • Fixed the intro videos for acts 2 and 3 not playing on Linux.
  • Fixed the game starting in the top left corner of the screen on Linux.
  • Fixed a crash in the PeTI if you placed a light strip above a laser catcher on the floor and linked it to a fizzler.
  • Fixed the fizzler not playing the retract animation when turned off in new PeTI maps.
  • Fixed being able to copy ’uncopyable’ items in the PeTI leading to invalid/broken levels.
  • Fixed some items in PeTI not maintaining their portalability state when expanding the chamber boundaries.
  • Fixed a crash if PeTI avatars could not be retrieved.
  • Fixed Cave Johnson’s lines not progressing when playing queued workshop levels.
  • Fixed a memory leak that could occur when changing levels.
  • Fixed a bug where you could no longer ping/taunt via mouse/keyboard if you have ever used a controller.
  • Fixed the ping menu being visible when quick pinging on controller.
  • Fixed the game instructor not respecting input types for respective players in split-screen mode.
  • Fixed rumble not being respected for respective players in split-screen mode.
  • Fixed the wrong avatar being used if playing coop after playing a workshop level.
  • Fixed the OnFiredPortal2 output not firing.
  • Fixed some text being duplicated on the screen multiple times.

Aside from technical improvements, the new update also brings a 360° Spin action, which sounds like a new ability in the game. Although there are no other clues yet, Portal 2's latest update might be a hint on the game's launch on last-gen and current-gen consoles.

Since the launch of Portal 2, Valve never released a sequel to the franchise. That being said, an spin-off from the series was launched back in 2017 in a completely different genre, called Portal Bridge Constructor.