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How to Close Portals in Splitgate

Splitgate is all about portals and how effectively you can use them. Sure, it’s a first-person shooter that is foundationally rooted in Halo, but it elevates itself with the use of portals. You can run, shoot, use momentum, and strategically switch between them to keep yourself moving and trying to stay ahead of your opponents. Now, that’s all the upside to portals in Splitgate. However, like any game, if you fail to use them correctly then they’re basically worthless. And we’re not talking about opening and moving through portals, but closing them.

In this guide, we cover exactly how portals work and how to close portals in Splitgate. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about closing portals and why you should integrate it into your playstyle. 

Let’s get started!

How Portals Work in Splitgate

Portals in Splitgate work exactly like they do in the iconic game it pulls from, Portal. The system consists of two active portals tied to different keybinds. They can only be placed on walls, and opening them allows you to move and fire through them as long as there are two active portals.

The first one you shoot is unusable on its own, but fire the second portal and you’ll be able to move from one place to the next. Keep in mind that your enemies can also move and fire through any portals you can open. That’s why it’s so vital that you close your portals.

How to Close Portals in Splitgate

Currently, there are two distinct ways to close portals in Splitgate. You can either open a new portal to cancel out a current one, or you can cancel out an active portal.

Image: 1047 Games

Opening up a new portal is as simple as it sounds. Just look for a new surface that can work with your portals, aim, and fire. Whatever portal you choose will appear there and cause the current portal of the same color to disappear. While a quick and easy method, the main drawback of this method is that it requires you to find a viable surface to create a portal, which isn’t always available.

So, the second and potentially more useful option is to cancel them out. This is done by selecting left or right on your d-pad if you’re on console, or selecting Z or X if you’re running a preset PC setup. This will automatically close the associate portal without you having to hunt down a spot to open up a new one. The key here is to keep track of which keybind deactivates which portal to ensure you never leave yourself stuck in situations without an escape route.

Why You Should Close Portals in Splitgate

Now you know how to close portals in Splitgate, but why should you? Aside from making new portals to keep moving across the map, here are a few other reasons why it’s a valuable part of how you play.

Don’t Leave Yourself Open

This is the most basic thing that can be easy to forget. If you plan on camping or sticking to an area, an open portal is a death sentence. You’re basically leaving yourself wide open to be picked off or snuck up on if you leave an active portal open that you don’t plan to use. 

A Portal on the silo map - how to close portals in splitgate
Image: 1047 Games

The same can be said if you move on from the location of the portal, but still leave it open. Sure, it’s an open route available to everyone. However, if you’re not tracking it, you might as well be creating direct routes to you and your teammates. 

Escape Enemies

Possibly the most basic and obvious reason to close portals is that doing so can help you escape enemies. Let’s say you activate portals, have an enemy on your tail, and need to make an escape. Rather than leaving it open and allowing the other team to walk through, you can close it and give yourself some time to recuperate.

Now, this can be done in a variety of ways that range from cleaning up to baiting and trapping your enemies. Rather than just automatically closing a dead portal right away, you can use portal closures to lure your enemies into your desired position. Grab their attention, then either let them get through your portal before closing it or close it as you walk through. At that moment, work with your team to immediately appear or start firing on them while their focus is on you and making it through your portal.

It’s not a consistent process, but being aware of if and where your portals are open can help you avoid and draw in enemies. As long as you know your escape routes, where your portals are, and if you have backup, why not leverage closing portals not only as an escape, but as a death trap?

Triple Portaling

This ties into creating new portals, but with a nuanced approach. Triple Portaling is an effective method to gain distance, make quick directional decisions, and ensure that you’re constantly moving. It couldn’t be done effectively without closing your portals to access the next one.

Triple Portaling
Image: 1047 Games via HGG

While Triple Portaling leans into just creating new openings to close out your portals, you’ll still want to keep portal closing in the back of your head. If there’s no obvious next step, or you suddenly come under fire, you need to be prepared to ditch your active portal operation and close out any access. If you’re able to switch between actively creating and closing them, you can ensure that you’ll never leave yourself open, while also staying ready to make quick and effective moves.

Join the High Ground

Now you know how and why you should be closing portals in Splitgate. It’s a fundamental aspect of the game that is so easily forgotten but incredibly necessary to elevate your performance. Be sure to let your friends know why they should be closing portals by sharing this article on your favorite social channels. For the latest on Splitgate, sign up for our newsletter to stay in the know.

Happy gaming!

 

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