something is happening...
http://www.aperturescience.com/a/b/c/d/g/h/abcdgh/

the release of the game?

most probably an early release :) GLaDOS had us collecting potatoes for the past few weeks and this is the grand finale.
Also, Portal 2 just downloaded an update, what the hell? :)

(one more interesting idea - http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1835057 )

... I love Valve :D

I'd keep that quiet, on here, if I were you. The natives get right unfriendly sometimes :P

Early release is doubtful given how much B&M retailers will bitch about it. Not to mention the people who will bitch about the pre-order period ending early (especially if the discount is removed at the same time).

A safer bet would be the release of a demo as it might just persuade a few more people, such as myself, to pre-order/buy at release after all.

You gotta hand it to them - Valve just re-wrote the textbooks on how you do marketing in the 21st century. This ARG is pure genious from beginning to end. Love it or hate it, there it is.

Besides, I don't think even Macgyver thought of using potatoes to resurrect a rouge AI. He probably would have if he had gotten an eight season, though...

exactly my thoughts, this is some incredible dedication coming from Valve. This is how PR should look like! (GOG, take notes please ;)

It also spawned a bunch of other things, masses of fake identities, fake screenshots, fake clues, all claiming they are part of the ARG. This reminds me sooo much of Standalone Complex... I think Valve managed to create one here:))

Yeah, I can't imagine them releasing it early. That would just infuriate too many people.

Oh shit, now there's text below the countdown!

You have done well, humans. Very well. Acceptably well, even.

Not as well as robots would have performed in your places, I should point out. But above my expectations regardless. Irish and cynic especially have executed feats of logical divination well beyond what I thought any human capable of. I'm half-convinced they're A.I. themselves. (If anyone happens to be near them right now, don't let on you're reading this. Now: try to remove their face plates and report back to me.)

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.

Less than four hours now! I'm gonna be on a bus when this hits zero, but it's tickling my jollies I must admit.

I wouldn't worry to much about that, if it's like any other Valve countdown, nothing will happen for several hours after it hits zero ;)

Ah, typical Valve time then. ;)

you people are forgetting the ultimate paradox of Valve Universe - the Reverse Valve Time! :)

So the countdown was to a.... countdown.

And a bonus challenge to release Portal 2 early. Boot up a game from the Potato Sack, folks. Either that, or start tracking down potatoes. Not sure which.