Which 2022 Valve game is set in the Portal universe and teaches Steam Deck controls?

The 2022 Valve game set in the Portal universe and designed to teach Steam Deck controls is Aperture Desk Job. It places the player at a desk inside Aperture Science, where routine product testing gradually turns into a chaotic workplace adventure.

Valve released the game for free on Steam on March 1, 2022, shortly after the Steam Deck launched. It was created as a compact showcase for the handheld’s controls, including its analog sticks, buttons, touchscreen, microphone, and gyroscope. Although designed for Steam Deck, it also runs on Windows with a controller.

Aperture Desk Job is not Portal 3 and does not use the familiar portal gun as its central mechanic. Instead, it uses the Portal setting, Cave Johnson’s history, absurd Aperture products, and a talking artificial-intelligence core named Grady to frame the hardware tutorial.

The game was built on Source 2 and can be completed in roughly 30 minutes. Its short length reflects its role as a polished technology demonstration as much as a standalone story.