Half-Life 2: Episode 2... Delayed!

[MC]

Electronic Arts, the world's leading interactive entertainment company, and Valve, the award-winning studio behind the blockbuster franchises Half-Life and Counter-Strike, today announced the naming and product configurations The Black Box and The Orange Box, two of the most anticipated action game offerings shipping worldwide this Winter 2007.

The Black Box will ship for the PC, and includes Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Portal and Team Fortress 2. The Orange Box will ship for the PC, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, and Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system, and includes all the content of The Black Box, plus the orIginal Half-Life 2 and Half-Life 2: Episode One.

Innovative games included in The Black Box and The Orange Box include:

• Half-Life 2: Episode Two -- the second installment in Valve's episodic trilogy advances the award-winning story, leading the player to new locations outside of City 17.
  
• Portal -- a pioneering type of single player action game that rewrites the rules for how players approach and manipulate their environment - much like how Half-Life 2's Gravity Gun reinvented the way gamers interact with objects in the game.
  
• Team Fortress 2 -- an all-new version of the legendary title that spawned team based multiplayer action games. The game's daring new art style features the most advanced graphics of any Source-based game released to date.

"In less than 18 months, we've shipped 10 new products to retail outlets with EA Partners," said Gabe Newell, co-founder of Valve. "The Black Box and The Orange Box represent a new approach to publishing multiple products, on multiple platforms and we know through our experience that no organization in the industry is better equipped to successfully launch new product types on multiple platforms than EA Partners."

"Valve is one of the world's premiere independent developers and EA Partners is thrilled to help them bring the groundbreaking action games in The Orange Box and The Black Box to market as their publishing partner," said David DeMartini, vice president and general manager of EA Partners.

The Black Box and The Orange Box are targeted for release this winter 2007.

Source: http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/762/762203p1.html

 

[Spunky]

WHAT COULD IT MEAN!?

Aside from, of course, typical Valve behavior...

 

[Sandstorm]

Big Surprise...

Valve aren't exactly known for speedy releases...

Every game they've ever released has been delayed. Maybe they should stop trying to come up with release dates, and just do their jobs.

 

[DaRkOwNs]

they dont have release dates to please/torture us, they have release dates because the big boss says they have to

 

[Spunky]

they dont have release dates to please/torture us, they have release dates because the big boss says they have to

Yeah, but Valve could give Vivendi the finger if they really wanted to. Vivendi knows that their product is going to make a load of money, so what can they do if Valve says "No, we're not ready yet"?

 

[SuperDragonFist]

Ahh... Episodic content at its finest.

 

[sub]

Yeah, but Valve could give Vivendi the finger if they really wanted to. Vivendi knows that their product is going to make a load of money, so what can they do if Valve says "No, we're not ready yet"?

Vivendi isn't publishing it anymore. EA is publishing the boxed versions of Half-Life 2, Valve is distributing it online through steam. As far as I know, that's basically what they've been doing, not releasing a product until it's ready. There's a reason Half-Life 2 took so many years to make, the guys over at Valve seem to be perfectionists

In any case, i don't remember them ever giving a release date out so i'm not disapointed by this. Whenever the game does arrive, i'll enjoy it.

 

[SaiyanPrideXIX]

Big Surprise...

Valve aren't exactly known for speedy releases...

Every game they've ever released has been delayed. Maybe they should stop trying to come up with release dates, and just do their jobs.

Well that's what happens when you take six years to build one map.

 

[frsrblch]

Well that's what happens when you take six years to build one map.

Do tell. 141

 

[Spunky]

Vivendi isn't publishing it anymore. EA is publishing the boxed versions of Half-Life 2, Valve is distributing it online through steam. As far as I know, that's basically what they've been doing, not releasing a product until it's ready. There's a reason Half-Life 2 took so many years to make, the guys over at Valve seem to be perfectionists

In any case, i don't remember them ever giving a release date out so i'm not disapointed by this. Whenever the game does arrive, i'll enjoy it.

Ohhh, so that's why EA was mentioned in the same article as Valve... Makes more sense now.

But they could still give 'em the finger if they weren't ready to release their product, because as you said, it doesn't matter how long it takes to develop, it'll still be an enjoyable experience for us, and a profitable experience for Valve (and EA, I guess... stupid EA...).

 

[Barney's_Soul]

Whoever was expecting Valve to release EP2 at the release date is just nuts.

 

[itr]

There was never a date given....Just seasons...

 

[MC]

There's an update:

Update: It has come to our attention that different media outlets received different versions of the Press Release. The version on EA's News Site states a "Fall 2007" date. Also, Doug Lombardi has been quoted as saying "Should be fall -- 'back to school' timeframe" (Editor's Note: "should be" -- ugh!). So divine from that what you will.

Source: http://www.planethalflife.com

 

[Arthos]

PATIENCE Young ones. PATIENCE.


You oughta know damn well how Valve works by now XD.

 

[SaiyanPrideXIX]

Or at least how little they work, at any rate.

It's kind of a shame. Imagine if they were on the ball and dedicated, how many interesting games they could make?

Valve are not gaming people. They are money people. They could give a crap about Half-Life intellectual property; as long as people are buying games off of Steam it's all good for them. Personally I think it's sad,because they only thing that really differentiates them is this disconnected lack of interest and dedication to their product....

 

[L]

Or at least how little they work, at any rate.

It's kind of a shame. Imagine if they were on the ball and dedicated, how many interesting games they could make?

Valve are not gaming people. They are money people. They could give a crap about Half-Life intellectual property; as long as people are buying games off of Steam it's all good for them. Personally I think it's sad,because they only thing that really differentiates them is this disconnected lack of interest and dedication to their product....

I agree with you.
A company shouldn't rely on the modding community to make their product survive.

 

[Arthos]

Or at least how little they work, at any rate.

It's kind of a shame. Imagine if they were on the ball and dedicated, how many interesting games they could make?

Valve are not gaming people. They are money people. They could give a crap about Half-Life intellectual property; as long as people are buying games off of Steam it's all good for them. Personally I think it's sad,because they only thing that really differentiates them is this disconnected lack of interest and dedication to their product....

With the original, it was intellectual property that mattered.

Of course... WE, the loyal fans, are the reason for the company's "downfall."
So... What can we do? Very little honestly. Buy, or don't. Thats about it.

 

[sub]

I've never regretted buying a Valve game, I don't think I'm going to stop anytime soon. There are plenty of other people that feel the same way. That's really all I'm going to say.

 

[Arthos]

I've never regretted buying a Valve game, I don't think I'm going to stop anytime soon. There are plenty of other people that feel the same way. That's really all I'm going to say.

On the other side of the argument, yes. Despite what I said above, I am inclined to agree.