According to a number of rumours doing the rounds, which can be traced to AreaXbox.de (Germany's premier magazine), 2 for the Xbox is indeed well under way, though no further details will be revealed until after this year's E3 - at which the version will take centre stage.

Valve's Doug Lombardi commented: "Yes, we're also working on an Xbox version, though not releasing any specific details on that until after e3."

What is not now clear is whether or not the Xbox will be the sole console that Half-Life 2 graces, after rumours that it would be an Xbox exclusive were quashed by the recent PC revelations. Of course, it is still questionable whether the or Cube could handle the graphical side of the game anyway.

By Luke Guttridge