A Showdown Between Valve & Vivendi

[Kamakiri]

Ok here is my theory.

Everyone ask themselves. Why has Vivendi and Valve been so quiet about hl2 in the past week or two. Especially leading up to the whole supposed 30th September release date? If you think about it it's VERY strange. Very strange.

Ok I think Vivendi and Valve are going through some major major big time law issues regarding the whole release with Steam. Retail outlets would be annoyed aswell. Vivendi tell retail stores what the release date is. Obviously Vivendi want it to be October/November.

But what does Valve want? The bloody game is done I'm telling you. We could almost say it's Gold. But Valve haven't announced it yet because of legal concerns.

Steam is Valve baby and they think they are onto something special. Valve want to release HL2 on Steam but Vivendi aren't happy because they are going to loose alot of money and Vivendi is seeing this in a long term perspective. The long term perspective of the gaming distribution industry. Steam absolutly scares them to death. But does it? Vivendi is a big company. VERY BIG guys. Vivendi could be pulling the shots here not Valve.

If I'm right it's very messing for the two companies atm. Valve just want to release it on Steam straight away. Vivendi want to wait for a little bit and include some pre-advertising before release. Vivendi just don't like the idea of Steam so they are being firm with the retail release date but Valve want it close to Steam release.

Vivendi is going to loose alot of money because of Steam either way.

Comments?

 

[Saltpeter]

It's all one big conspiracy!

 

[pHATE1982]

Aye... infact HL2 hasn't even been started to be developed yet.

 

[Kamakiri]

Valve has to be careful not to screw over Vivendi to much.

Just say Steam doesn't take off as well as Valve think. And Valve start to release TF2 and CS2 etc etc. Smaller titles. Valve would end up having to pay Vivendi alot more just so they can distrute there software.

I'm a Valve fanboy through and through but the above has happened many times in retail. Valve gets a little cocky and it doesn't work out and then they get humbled really fast and the big boy Vivendi say "Now we are in charge".

 

[Guest]

I dont think its a big deal releasing it on steam i think Vivendi would just take the profits, i dont think Valve would have a problem with that.

 

[Sp00fman]

You dont "buy" HL2 with steam, you just subscribe to the service, and you can play as long as you pay. You don't own the hl2 game this way IMHO.

I think valve thought about the legal side of steam even before starting to programm is. otherwise it could be just a waste of $$$.

I dont think valve is so stupid to forget the legal side of it.

 

[poseyjmac]

no you can buy bulk on steam AND pay monthly on steam

 

[Guest]

Vivendi wanna hold a Finished game 2 monthes before releasing it just to Gain more money ! /me laughing...

 

[Kamakiri]

But I could be all wrong of course. lol.

 

[RhapSidious]

Originally posted by Kamakiri
Valve has to be careful not to screw over Vivendi to much.

Just say Steam doesn't take off as well as Valve think. And Valve start to release TF2 and CS2 etc etc. Smaller titles. Valve would end up having to pay Vivendi alot more just so they can distrute there software.

I'm a Valve fanboy through and through but the above has happened many times in retail. Valve gets a little cocky and it doesn't work out and then they get humbled really fast and the big boy Vivendi say "Now we are in charge".

Although your theory has merit, I think Valve would have disclosed the whole Steam thing to Vivendi in advance. Valve owns the rights to the francise, so they can release it any medium they want.

Vivendi has retail distribution rights, but I'm sure that Valve retained the right to online distribution of their choosing. Especially if they had Steam in mind for a while now.

BTW if your basing any of this on the latests post in the "Valve Info" thread by Erikk (about retail getting it 2-5 days later than Steam,) it was a fake.

My 2 cents.

 

[Kamakiri]

yeah. Some of it i am actually. Hmmm.

Why did Erikk lie for :/

 

[groovy]

tis very interesting, i never thought of such a theory...

 

[RhapSidious]

Originally posted by Kamakiri
yeah. Some of it i am actually. Hmmm.

Why did Erikk lie for :/

Yeah I know. The community is hanging on every little tidbit of news about the game, especially at this point in the waiting process. With all of the uncertainty floating around, we're easy targets.
.

 

[Kamakiri]

Yep very easy targets. We are so hungry on information atm. No other game released has been this bad.

 

[Marius]

You'd think with 9 days to go they'd tell us either way.

 

[machima]

Originally posted by Kamakiri
Yep very easy targets. We are so hungry on information atm. No other game released has been this bad.

Oh jeez, what a exaggerated statement

 

[Mr Neutron]

Are you trolling, Spoofman? For ****'s sake, let's start a FAQ thread.

Yes, I speculated here about some developer/publisher dispute a while ago. I doubt it's as serious as you suggest, but I'll bet it's one of the main reasons for Valve's gaurdedness about the release.

 

[Gunner]

Why is every guy on the net spells lose "loose"?

And why have they kept quiet? because there is nothing to say. What the fuq do you expect them to say?

 

[Kamakiri]

Originally posted by Marius
You'd think with 9 days to go they'd tell us either way.

Yeah it's bit beyond the point of being fair hey.

If they tell us 'delayed' and it's 9 days before release wow that would be lame.

But official date is 30th sep so i don't know anymore. lol.

 

[Mr Neutron]

Originally posted by )[eVo]( Para
And why have they kept quiet? because there is nothing to say. What the fuq do you expect them to say?

They could at least assure us that, if there is a delay, it will be a matter of days or weeks, not months. That they won't confirm or deny this is puzzling/aggravating, because I'm really getting my hopes up that at least that much is true.

 

[Paradox]

Yes I agree, there has obviously been some contention going on between Valve and VU for sometime now. As I understand it though Valves contract with VU does reserve the rights to publish on Steam for Valve, so legally all VU can probably do is tie them up in red tape. But of course there are other ways a publisher the size of VU can apply pressure.

 

[Paradox]

Originally posted by Irs2k3
Vivendi wanna hold a Finished game 2 monthes before releasing it just to Gain more money ! /me laughing...

It would not be the first time a publisher had done this.

IWD2 was held back for 2 month's after it was finished for marketing reasons. The developers actually said as much.

It was held back a further 3 months before it was released here in the UK.

 

[FriScho]

I think you are right.

Steam could be the start of the end of retailers in the long run. There ARE big concerns in the retailer-section and massive protests. I guess there are telecommunication companys, that smell big cash, too. I bet Valve has much trouble in calming them down. But Valve also knows, that Steam and pay-per-play is the future of the computergames market. So they will push it. Vivendi can only try to slow down the process, but not stop it in the long run.

 

[Gunner]

Originally posted by Mr Neutron
They could at least assure us that, if there is a delay, it will be a matter of days or weeks, not months. That they won't confirm or deny this is puzzling/aggravating, because I'm really getting my hopes up that at least that much is true.

Assure you there's no delay?? nine days left and there's still no sign of delay, what more do you want??

 

[3rd Impact]

Vivendi shot JFK!

 

[Tropico]

Originally posted by )[eVo]( Para
Assure you there's no delay?? nine days left and there's still no sign of delay, what more do you want??

I also think that way its now the point of no return.

 

[RhapSidious]

Originally posted by Tropico
I also think that way its now the point of no return.

Lets hope so. We'd better hear a gold announcement by Wed at the latest.

 

[Xenome]

Ive read in the pczone(benelux) that valve said they could do whatever they wanted themself, they didnt have a big company ( like EA) watching every step they take, and telling them what to do.
So i don't think this is the case.

 

[kawada]

Could this be the new season of 24?

 

[blade 24/7 365]

LOL

i think that vivendi/serra (UK) tryed to hold back HL2 but valve was decided to go ahed and relece it, i think and hope this is true:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

 

[TAZ]

VU is not as big anymore since they sold alot of the company, and I think they are hanging on to their gaming line because they know that the future for gaming is bright, especially for HL2

 

[DimitriPopov]

ANY publishing company would be glad to take the Valve client. Vivendi would be FOOLS to piss them off. If I was Valve Id tell them to release it on the perscribed date or well find another publisher.

 

[Incitatus]

please you really think Vivendi cares that much about hl2? it probably won't even account for .5% of their total annual income

 

[DigitalAssassin]

Originally posted by DimitriPopov
ANY publishing company would be glad to take the Valve client. Vivendi would be FOOLS to piss them off. If I was Valve Id tell them to release it on the perscribed date or well find another publisher.

Even with the game being released on steam, I wouldn't be at all supprised if HL2 breaks the old record for retail sales. I would kill to be publishing for Valve right now, and I doubt that Vivendi wants to do anything to hinder their future relationship with Valve.