Yea, that's probably why they get to put their ugly smug logo on it.
Publishers usually handle marketing, production (box, CD), distribution, and all the dirty stuff (accounting, legal). Valve does all the hard, real work. You know, stuff EA doesn't know how to.
Companion characters sound alot like Heroes in Guild Wars. It's nothing new, and nothing worrisome.
All in all, I've lost much of my fanboy-ism now that I've grown older, but this has rekindled it somewhat.
Johnny T: That was win btw. ^^
For Fallout 3 fans, amazon.com has this amazing "Survivor Edition".
http://www.amazon.com/Fallout-3-Amazon-com-Exclusive-Survival/dp/B0017QFX30/ref=pd_ts_zbw_vg_12508701_9?pf_rd_p=302739501&pf_rd_s=right-4&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=229575&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=18CWK3Z68MWGHRXGFT75