Source: https://combineoverwiki.net/wiki/Aperture_Science_Weighted_Storage_Cube
Archived: 2026-11-02 (the page's wikitext, through the wiki's API)
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{{Technology Infobox
| image = [[File:Weighted Storage Cube p2.png|250px]]
| image2 = [[File:Companion Cube p2.png|250px]]
| name = Weighted Storage Cube
| affiliation = [[Aperture Science]]
| type = Calibration-based cube
| usedby =
The '''Aperture Science Weighted Storage Cube''', along with its '''Weighted Companion Cube''' variant, is the most common and basic testing element in ''[[Portal]]'' and ''[[Portal 2]]''. It is used throughout the [[Testing Track|testing course]]s of the [[Aperture Science]] [[Aperture Science Enrichment Center|Enrichment Center]].
== Overview ==
- The Weighted Storage Cube is a device used for solving cube-and-button based puzzles in the various Test Chambers found throughout the Enrichment Center.
- In ''[[Portal]]'' and the Single Player campaign of ''[[Portal 2]]'', Weighted Storage Cubes are to be placed on a [[1500 Megawatt Aperture Science Heavy Duty Super-Colliding Super Button|Super Button]] to allow [[Test Subject]]s to advance.
- In the cooperative campaign of ''Portal 2'', the Weighted Storage Cubes are to be placed on [[Aperture Science Cube Button|Cube Button]]s.
- Weighted Storage Cubes appear either via an [[Aperture Science Vital Apparatus Vent]] or are already in a test chamber.
- It can be picked up by using the "use" key and can also be taken through [[Teleportation|portals]].
- The Weighted Storage Cube can also be used as a makeshift weapon against an [[Aperture Science Sentry Turret]] by dropping it on the Sentry Gun from a Portal, or as a makeshift shield to block turret fire and [[Aperture Science High Energy Pellet|energy pellets]].
- Like most objects, the Weighted Storage Cube will disintegrate upon touching an [[Aperture Science Material Emancipation Grill]].
- In ''Portal 2'', the cubes have a circular blue light on each side, and when left on a button it changes to a yellow light. They are also notably smaller in size than in ''Portal''.
** The Weighted Companion Cube in ''Portal 2'' bears a resemblance to the standard Cubes, their only difference is that they have a heart on each face of the Cube and emit a pink light.
- A special type of Storage Cube, the Weighted Companion Cube appears in both ''Portal'' and ''Portal 2''. It is identical to the regular Weighted Storage Cube in both games, except that it has a heart where the Aperture Science logo would be. At the end of the Test Chamber 17 in ''Portal'', the player is forced to throw it into an [[Aperture Science Emergency Intelligence Incinerator]]. Narrative provided by [[GLaDOS]] and [[Doug Rattmann]] suggests that the Companion Cube is designed to test emotional stress by having subjects develop affection for it before being forced to destroy it.
**In ''Portal 2''{{'}}s second chapter Test Chamber 07, GLaDOS reveals that there are warehouses full of Weighted Companion Cubes shortly after disintegrating two of them. She also contradicts her statements from the first game, openly stating that they are sentient. As the Material Emancipation Grill for that chamber is not functioning, [[Chell]] can remove the companion cube from that chamber (earning the player the "Preservation of Mass" achievement/trophy), only to have GLaDOS destroy it herself shortly before reaching the elevator.
**It is unknown whether the Companion Cube can communicate openly in any way. Although generally the Cube actually talking seems to be a sign of madness, if the "Preservation of Mass" achievement is earned, GLaDOS claims the Cube was about to say "I love you," and in ''Portal 2'', the Cube produces a chime, which foreshadows the [[Turret Opera]].
- Twentieth century prototypes of the Storage Cubes were seen in the old condemned parts of the Aperture Science Innovators test chambers, where they also served a similar purpose for weighing down buttons. These cubes can react to the [[Mobility Gels]], as well. It is unknown if the early cubes were simple crates with nothing inside, or if they were actually weighed down to help push down and hold in place the early Aperture Science Super Buttons. These cubes also appear to be made of wood, held together by staples. No analogue of the Companion Cubes appear.
==Related Achievements==
{|class=wikitable style="vertical-align:center;" width=50%
|-
!colspan="2" style="text-align:left"|''[[The Orange Box Achievements#Portal|Portal]]''
|-
|rowspan=2 width=64px|[[File:Portal kill companioncube.png]]
!style="text-align:left"|Fratricide (5G)
|-
| ''Do whatever it takes to survive.'' |
| !colspan="2" style="text-align:left" |
| - |
| rowspan=2 width=64px |
| !style="text-align:left" |
| - |
| ''Place a cube on a button without touching the cube.'' |
| - |
| rowspan=2 width=64px |
| !style="text-align:left" |
| - |
| ''Break the rules in [[GLaDOS' testing track (Portal 2)#Test Chamber 07 |
| - |
| rowspan=2 width=64px |
| !style="text-align:left" |
| - |
| ''Catch a blue-painted box before it touches the ground.'' |
| - |
| rowspan=2 width=64px |
| !style="text-align:left" |
| - |
| ''Never lose a cube in Chamber 6 of the Mass and Velocity co-op course.'' |
| - |
| rowspan=2 width=64px |
| !style="text-align:left" |
| - |
| ''Find the hidden companion cube in co-op test chamber.'' |
| - |
| rowspan=2 width=64px |
| !style="text-align:left" |
| - |
| ''Never lose a cube in Chamber 6 of the Mobility Gels co-op course.'' |
| - |
| } |
== Behind the scenes ==
- The Weighted Companion Cube was invented because playtesters often failed to realize that the puzzle required you to take the cube with you, so they made it unique and more noticeable, and had GLaDOS put a great deal of emphasis on it in her voiceover.
- A Weighted Companion Cube plush and fuzzies are available to purchase online at [[Valve]] online.[http://store.valvesoftware.com/product.php?i=S0102 Weighted Companion Cube Plush] at the Steam store.[http://store.valvesoftware.com/product.php?i=S0103 Weighted Companion Cube Fuzzies] at the Steam store.
- A Companion Cube prop can be unlocked for Xbox Live avatars by completing the ''Portal 2'' Single Player campaign.
*The Companion Cubes seem to replace Storage Cubes in the Aperture Investment videos.
== Trivia ==
- The Companion Cube from ''Portal'' is implied to have never been completely incinerated during the ending sequence of ''Portal 2''. This is noted by the amount of burn marks it has sustained, also implied from statistics of the [[Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device|Portal Gun]] which can endure temperatures of up to 4000 kelvin, that subsequent Aperture products are also able to. In addition, the Companion Cube in Portal 2 sports a new design, but the cube in the ending sequence is the Portal design.
- In ''Portal 2'', when held, the Companion Cube causes the game to play a type of tune or chime specific to it, much like how certain music plays during the activation or use of certain testing elements of functioning Aperture Science technology (e.g. Aerial Faith Plate). The tune is a loop that foreshadows the upcoming [[Turret Opera]] at the end of the campaign.
- In the Xbox 360 game ''[[wikipedia:Fable III|Fable III]]'', a crate with a heart painted on each of its sides can be found in one of the game's dungeons, being worshipped by a creature called a Hobbe. On the table next to the cell in which the Hobbe is being kept, there is also a [[Cake]].
- In ''[[wikipedia:Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2|Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2]]''{{'}}s multiplayer mode, there is an unlockable title called "Companion Crate" with a heart-themed background, unlocked by calling in 25 Care Packages in-game.
- The Companion Cube appears in ''[[wikipedia:Terraria|Terraria]]'' as a purchasable pet. Certain mechanics, such as the cube stabbing the player and the cube being incinerated, are also referenced there.
== Gallery ==
=== ''Portal'' ===
==== Pre-release ====
File:Portalgun beta.jpg|Early screenshot of ASHPD with a cube in the back of Test Chamber 13.
File:Orientation Video 1 all testing elements.jpg|Weighted Storage Cube as seen in Orientation Video no. 1.
File:Weighted Storage Cube 2005.png|Weighted Storage Cube, 2005 version, as found in the ''Portal'' leak.
File:Weighted Storage Cube 2006.png|Weighted Storage Cube, 2006 version, as found in the ''Portal'' leak.
==== Retail ====
File:Weighted Storage Cube.jpg|Weighted Storage Cube.
File:Weighted Companion Cube.jpg|Weighted Companion Cube.
File:Sphere cube.jpg|[[Edgeless Safety Cube|Companion Sphere]], the model of which is shared with that of the simplified [[Aperture Science Personality Construct|Personality Core]].
File:Cube first.jpg|Introducing the Companion Cube in Test Chamber 17.
File:Testchmb 04.jpg
File:Testchmb 05.jpg
File:Testchmb09.jpg
File:Testchmb13.jpg
File:Testchmb12.jpg
File:Testchmb17.jpg
File:20220722135153 1.jpg|Companion Cube near the desk with a cake, as seen in Background map.
File:Cube love.png|Weighted Companion Cube icon.
File:Signage overlay boxhurt.png|Test chamber warning symbol for falling storage cubes.
File:Portal kill companioncube.png|Fratricide achievement icon.
File:Aperture Science cube.svg|Aperture logo as it appears on a normal Weighted Storage Cube.
File:Cube heart.svg|Heart logo as it appears on the Weighted Companion Cube.
File:PlushCC.jpg|Plush Weighted Companion Cube.
=== ''Portal 2'' ===
==== Pre-release ====
File:Competitive multiplayer.jpg|Unknown cut cube in an early screenshot.
==== Retail ====
File:sp a4 finale40007.jpg|Chell's original Companion Cube from ''Portal'', as seen at the end of ''Portal 2''.
File:Companion Cube p2.png|New Companion Cube as seen in ''Portal 2''.
File:P2 companion cube button.png|New Companion Cube's skin when placed on a button.
File:Weighted Storage Cube p2.png|New Weighted Storage Cube as seen in ''Portal 2''.
File:Cube blue dirty p2.png|Ditto, dirty.
File:P2 storage cube button.png|New Weighted Storage Cube's skin when placed on a button.
File:Cube yellow dirty p2.png|Ditto, dirty.
File:Companion cube p2.jpg|Higher-res render of the Companion Cube.
File:P2 cube antique.png|20th century version.
File:Portal2 2011-05-27 23-03-08-43.jpg|Early Storage Cube on early Super Button in Test Chamber 01 in Test Shaft 09.
File:P2 tube network.jpg|Weighted Storage Cubes being delivered by [[Aperture Science Pipe Network]].
File:Portal 2 coop Companion Cube.jpg|Companion Cube in [[Cooperative Testing Courses#Test Chamber 09|Test Chamber 09]] of the ''[[Cooperative Testing Courses#Excursion Funnels|Excursion Funnels]]'' Testing Course.
File:Peti cube.png|Aperture Science Weighted Storage Cube icon in ''[[Perpetual Testing Initiative]]''.
File:Peti companion cube.png|Aperture Science Weighted Companion Cube icon in ''Perpetual Testing Initiative''.
File:ASCDT cube.jpg|''[[Aperture Science Collaborative Disposition Test]]'' Weighted Companion Cube art.
File:Steamemoticon p2 cube.png|Steam emoticon of the Companion Cube.
=== ''The Lab'' ===
File:Joejeff cube doodle.jpg|Doodle of JoeJeff and Companion Cube seen in the hub.
File:Robot Repair Crushers.jpg|Storage Cube about to be crushed at the end of ''Robot Repair''.
== List of appearances ==
===Main games===
- ''[[Portal]]'' {{1st}}
- ''[[Portal 2]]''
*''[[Peer Review]]''
- ''[[Perpetual Testing Initiative]]''
===Other===
- [[ApertureScience.com]] {{Nc}} {{C|Not before Christmas 2007}}
- ''[[Portal: First Slice]]''
- ''[[Portal: Still Alive]]'' {{Nc}}
- [[Portal ARG|''Portal'' ARG]]
- [[PotatoFoolsDay ARG|''PotatoFoolsDay'' ARG]]
- ''[[Portal 2: Lab Rat]]''
- ''[[The Final Hours of Portal 2]]''
- ''[[Randolph the Red-Nosed Turret]]'' {{C|Toy only}} {{Nc}}
*''[[Portal Pinball]]'' {{Nc}}
*''[[Portal: The Uncooperative Cake Acquisition Game]]'' {{Nc}}
*''[[Lego Dimensions]]'' {{Nc}}
- ''[[The Lab/Robot Repair|Robot Repair]]''
- ''[[The Lab]]''
*''[[Bridge Constructor Portal]]'' {{Nc}}
== See also ==
- [[Discouragement Redirection Cube]]
- [[Edgeless Safety Cube]]
- [[Aperture Science Cube Button|Cube Button]]
- [[Edgeless Safety Cube Receptacle]]
- [[1500 Megawatt Aperture Science Heavy Duty Super-Colliding Super Button|1500 Megawatt Super Button]]
== References ==
{{Imagecat|Aperture Science Weighted Storage Cube images}}
{{Technology}}
{{Aperture}}
[[Category:Portal]]
[[Category:Aperture Science technology]]
[[Category:Technology]]
[[Category:Portal 2]]
[[Category:Aperture Science testing elements]]
[[Category:Scott Klintworth designs]]
[[Category:Portal 2: Lab Rat]]
[[Category:Aperture Science cubes]]