Valve opens release Date for Half-Life 2!!!!! (1 Viewer)

I was in Best Buy today upgrading my ram and mentioned to one of the employees that I was gearing up for Half-Life 2. He then tells me "You know you can buy it today. We have it in stock".

I was like, "Uh I thought it wasnt coming out till Tuesday?"

And he then tells me that Valve canceled the street date which left it open for retailers to sell the game. So in other words, go get your copy! Call ahead first.

This was at the Best Buy in Duncanville, Tx.

Sounds unlikely they would change the street date. It would normally be Vivendi (the publisher) who would make that decision. A number of copies have been sold, but they are worthless until the 16th, since all copies of the game need to be activated on Steam before they work, even if you only want to access single player. Until then you will only be in the same boat as all those who have pre-cached the steam files.

www.steampowered.com

Echoing Steve, you can buy it at Best Buy for $55 like others have sure, but you can't play it because Valve won't let you activate the game online with the included key yet.

You're exactly right. I finally got to install it but I can't play it =( Sorry about that!

That's a pretty neat idea. I just hope there isn't a rush of people trying to access Steam once they allow people to register the game.

I find that retailers hardly ever stick with game release dates, once its in, they start to sell them out. I'd love to get a copy but my pc is too old to run it. :frowning:

So is there no way for people without internet access to play this?

I was reading a report on GameSpot about the early selling of Half Life 2 and thought the same thing to, how are people without internet access going to register.

Also on the GameSpot report, they said it wouldn't be surprising to see someone unlock some codes tonight.


Ray

regarding HL2, will it be available on DVD-ROM outside of the special edition gift set? i'd rather have the DVD, but no way that i'm paying $70 just to get that version of it.

CJ

They can't. According to the specs on the box, an internet connection is required. Once activated, you can play in "off-line" mode but initially you have to have a connection.

-Keith

There should be some way to activate it over the phone. That's kind of crappy that an internet connection is required.

Regardless...I can't fucking wait until it comes out!

actually, that is an excellent point.

CJ

Someone over at Anandtech was complaining about having this problem. Must've been posting from work

I was so excited about this release, but now I'm addicted to Halo 2, and I can't stop. :b

Martin.

Gamespot has their Half-Life 2 review up. Damn, somewhat disappointed that the story isn't that great - is everyone pulling a Halo 2 ending now? lol!

I have a 3Ghz Pentium 4, a gig of RAM, Radeon 9800 and so on, but don't use it for the internet at all - I surf the web on my second PC. My good PC is used for some games, video editing, sound design and so on and I don't want to risk a virus or anything like that. If I can register via the second PC (i.e maybe the installation on the first will generate a number that I can send via the second to Valve) then I guess I'm ok. If the process is automated and the PC with the game has to be the same as the one with the web connection, then I'm guess I'm screwed for the time being and will have to wait until - maybe - Valve changes that requirement with a patch in 2005 or something after the bulk of Christmas sales have come and gone.

Picked up the Collector's Edition version today,
http://us.f2.yahoofs.com/users/41998...wfamBBh2zoCDCq

Kinda disappointed with the CE, cardboard box and nothing really exciting. But the DVD version and the shirt alone had me. So no regrets.

Just played my first Countersrike Source game, and I will definetly need a new video card.

Can't wait til 12 midnight PT.

Ray

Here's an interesting blurb about the early release sales:

from http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/566/566...html?fromint=1

Vivendi Block Half-Life 2 Unlocks - Official
Vivendi Block Half-Life 2 Unlocks - Official

November 13, 2004 - The official Steam website was just updated with a news piece that confirms VUGames are the cause for no-one being able to play Half-Life 2, despite picking it up in places like Best Buy:

If you have purchased a copy of Half-Life 2, we are sorry you are still waiting to play. This is not Valve's choice. Vivendi is insisting that the game has not yet been released, and has threatened that Valve would be in violation of its contract if we activate the Half-Life 2 Steam authentication servers at this time.
Thanks for your patience and we will update you when we have more news to share.

I think a big "fuck you" just went out to Vivendi Universal Games. Update: George Broussard of 3D Realms had this to say on Shacknews:


Hey Vivendi...seriously, fuck you.

Validating files right now! Woot!