Portal Becomes "Required Reading" In College. Say What?

Valve game makes it into the curriculum

Aug 25 2010, 3:54am CDT | by Mark Raby

Portal Becomes "Required Reading" In College. Say What?

Well here's something you don't see every day. A college in Indiana has added Valve's instant-classic PC game Portal to its list of required reading.

That's right - alongside Hamlet and The Epic of Gilgamesh, students will be encouraged to experience Portal as one of the defining pieces of work in American culture.

Professor Michael Abbott came up with the idea and believe it or not, administrators at his school, Wabash College, agreed. Those who are not in tune with the gaming world needn't worry, as a "collective playthrough" of the game will be part of the class.

For now, it is only being included in the curriculum for a couple of test classes, but Abbott is hopeful it will quickly become a defined part of the undergraduate experience at Wabash.

Portal is an intoxicating strategy game that most gamers can finish in a couple hours. Nevertheless, it has gained attention for having an addictively simple game style and a highly unique story. It takes place in a post-war research facility and takes a lot of dark, though humorous, turns along the way.

Although it was critically acclaimed, certainly no one could have expected that Portal would be the first game to receive such a distinction. The game's writers must feel pretty proud right now.

Via Mashable

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Mark Raby
Based in New York City, Mark follows the consumer electronics industry like a hawk. A published book author, he has a particular affinity for 3D technology and video games, and as such will surely be in the market for a new pair of glasses soon. Mark can be contacted directly at mark@i4u.com.