Valve Debuts Source Engine As Xbox 360 Middleware

Officials from Half-Life 2 creator Valve have announced that the company's Source game engine technology has now been released as an official middleware solution for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console. According to a statement released today, the new version of Source for the Xbox 360 is optimized to utilize the platform's graphics hardware and offer full support for Xbox Live. The news follows information released by Valve in April indicating that it is actively working on multiple Source-powered titles for the console - later confirmed as including Half-Life 2, Team Fortress 2, and Portal, to be distributed as a package by major publisher EA. While it still has not been formally stated, it remains likely that this latest news is another step toward the eventual release of console versions of existing third-party PC Source engine titles. Some of these titles include Ritual's SiN Episodes and Arkane's upcoming Dark Messiah Of Might & Magic, though none are explicitly confirmed for debut on consoles. "The combination of Source and the Xbox 360 provides game designers throughout the industry the chance to create powerful entertainment experiences," said Gabe Newell, president and co-founder of Valve. "Whether they're pursuing a traditional FPS, RTS, RPG or delving into new genres, Source and the Xbox 360 are designed to offer the flexibility and tools to allow designers to pursue any design imaginable."