Rock, Paper, Shotgun

We asked Valve to comment on the rumour, and received a succinct reply:

Can it really be true that Google are about to buy Valve? So goes the rumour that’s currently setting the internet alight. A rumour we look on with dubiously raised eyebrows and possible scorn. Yeah, right. Very happy to be proved wrong. But we’ll see.

The Inquirer cite “well placed sources”, who say the purchase will happen any moment now. All other stories link back to that one. The Inquirer seems pretty confident, but then also pretty vague. But it does sound like a special kind of nonsense. Never mind that it’s a little early in the morning US time for a deal to be happening. It’s currently 4.30am in Seattle, where both companies reside.

Last year we had the following exchange with Valve boss/owner Gabe Newell:

RPS: I have a friend (an idiot) who is determined that in six months Valve will be owned by either Microsoft or EA…

Gabe: Tell him that I’m not interested in buying either one of them.

Google’s social world thinger, Lively, has gone live. It’s an environment-building 3D web browser thing of the “Second Life Lite” variety. I’ve not had time to have a good look at it, but judging by the sheer number of rooms being created by people the content tools must be fairly easy to use. It all seems a bit laggy though, so I guess the most popular rooms are getting battered by too much traffic. It also wants your Gmail login every 30 seconds, which is rather irritating. Still, let us know in the comments if you end up making something interesting from it.