A dedicated Portal fan brought the iconic Portal gun to life with an incredible 3D-printed model. Portal is Valve’s puzzle-platform game that has spawned a sequel and multiple ports across many platforms. The game was originally available on PC via Steam, as well as Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3, but Portal will soon release on Nintendo Switch through the Portal Companion Collection sometime in 2022. The game has a massive fanbase and continued support through mods, which expand its gameplay and offer new challenges for players to solve.
Released last year on Steam, Portal 2 Reloaded lets players explore new puzzle mechanics across two different timelines, and is a free community-built mod available to all players. The mod added the time-traveling feature to the puzzle game, a unique mechanic that allows the exploration of two separate timelines. Additionally, Portal 2 Reloaded allows players to spawn a third portal which is denoted by a green rectangle, a significant change from the original’s two-portal limit. The mod has enough content to hold fans over until Portal 2 Desolation launches; this is another fan-built mod that will introduce an original Portal story.
Despite Portal 2 having been released over a decade ago, the franchise still has a massive fanbase. Reddit user The_Kid_Pyro seems like one such fan, having recently shared pictures of their Portal gun, which was brought to life as an incredible 3D-printed model. The replica is identical to the Portal gun used in the original games, complete with blue, fluorescent lights and the white coating signature to Aperture Science, Inc. devices. The Portal gun is to-scale with its in-game counterpart and The_Kid_Pyro proved this by placing the puzzle-solving tool next to a computer keyboard. The_Kid_Pyro admitted that they did not sand or paint the 3D-printed Portal gun, having only used parts from their Ender 3 printer.
The original Reddit post can be found here.
3D printing has become essential in DIY projects, especially among video game enthusiasts. Recently, a Pokémon fan 3D-printed Rayquaza based on its in-game appearance, and in December, another fan recreated Generation Two Johto Pokémon as low-poly 3D printables. The trend doesn’t stop there, either. In honor of WitcherCon in July, The Witcher developers released official files so fans could 3D print an incredibly detailed replica of Geralt’s medallion, allowing them to recreate the wolf’s head ahead of the event. Other impressive projects include a full-scale replica of Genshin Impact’s Rust Bow, and a devoted Final Fantasy 7 fan spent two months forging their own 3D-printed Buster Sword.
From cosplay to 3D printing, video game fans always find a way to honor beloved franchises. Whether it’s for a good cause, like a Pokémon teacher giving away 100 3D-printed Bulbasaurs as gifts for their students, or for creative expression, like another fan who redesigned iconic Pokémon as kaiju. As for the Portal franchise, while the 3D-printed Portal gun is not fully functioning, it does perfectly resemble its digital counterpart. Now Portal fans will just have to continue the trend by 3D-printing companion cubes or even Personality Cores.
