Valve Announces 'Portal 2' Music Video Contest

I'll admit that I wasn't even aware of the band before Portal 2, but The National's "Exile, Vilify" was a pretty neat song, and one that featured surprisingly little into the actual game. Valve is now giving fans a chance to feature the song in something a little more substantial. Entries into the Portal 2 Music Video Contest can be in any video format, whether that be live-action, animation, machinima, whatever; and must be submitted by July 15th. The winner will receive an autographed Eastwood guitar, a schwag box from Valve, and shirts from Jinx. Check out the details below.

Sharp-eared music fans will have already found the haunting track “Exile, Vilify” by The National in Portal 2. Clearly Rat Man is a big fan of of the song, based on some of the art decorating the walls of his dens. But as any museum fan can tell you, there’s nothing a fancypants painting can say that a YouTube video can’t say a hundred times better.

That’s where you come in. “Exile, Vilify” doesn’t have a music video, and we’d like you to correct this horrendous oversight with the Portal 2 Music Video Contest. Make the winning video and you’ll receive an Eastwood guitar, signed by The National. You’ll also win the ultimate box of schwag from Valve, including shirts, posters, and other stuff we’ll be grabbing off co-workers desks when they’re not looking. Plus bonus shirts from Jinx.

Direct your video vision with live action, game assets, shots of the band, sock puppets, whatever you want. Just make sure you get it submitted with the tag PORTAL2NATIONALEXILE to YouTube by July 15th.

For more information on The National visit their web site American Mary.

For more information on Portal 2, here's a link back to the official website.