Accoring to the store managers from EB going to have to wait!

[omlette]

I was 100% optimistic until I saw this pop up at several places by many people, my hopes are now falling faster than the speed of light. PLEASE someone (hopefully a reputable forum member) email Gabe and ask if this took place... :/

 

[Feath]

Originally posted by Legend
Also, I think VALVe has done a horrible job at keeping us informed; resorting to vague answers and giving their fans the run-a-round whenever possible.

Valve know as well as anyone that there was a chance that it wouldn't make the date, hence "Vague answers". Seriously, Valve doesn't need to hold your hand and reassure you every day that the game isn't delayed.

 

[Legend]

I actually don't even mind, I just think it's a dirty way to treat their fans. They're probably all sitting around playing a beta of Halo 2, anyway.

 

[Feath]

Originally posted by Legend
I actually don't even mind, I just think it's a dirty way to treat their fans. They're probably all sitting around playing a beta of Halo 2, anyway.

What exactly have they done wrong? I can't see it?

 

[MadsMan]

Maybe it's a distributing deal gone sour? Perhaps the game will be ready on the 30th(or around that date) for Steam users, initially. But the retail box versions may not be ready to ship because perhaps Vivendi and Valve have had a falling out over this whole Steam business... Gabe could be in an all out battle with Vivendi, trying to resolve the issue, and it's put a wrench in the wheels, so to speak. Hell, if Steam is the only way to get it on the 30th, then I;m sold, although I do prefer something tangible, like a manual, and box. Call me old fashioned.

 

[merc]

this game will be delayed i asked gabe on the phone

-merc

 

[spitcodfry]

Originally posted by merc
this game will be delayed i asked gabe on the phone

-merc

LOL yeah...I was playing the back nine with him today and I broached the subject...he started beating me over the head with his driver.

 

[merc]

lol

 

[Seikeden]

Or maybe they just got tired of repeating themselves

 

[merc]

why hasnt there been any news on the release date yet tho? i mean seriously what is wrong with valve or whoever?

 

[TheDrizzle]

I checked tenaciousdave's (the guy who made that other similar delay announcement on planethalflife) post on teamxbox.com (http://forum.teamxbox.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=218273). His report seems credible enough. Doesn't look like something you can easily make up. I was really hoping HL2 would be released on the 30th. Ah well - who knows though, maybe Valve is intentionally lieing to the store managers to keep everyone in suspense. But I'm not gonna hold my breath. Just pray it's not delayed till next year!!

 

[MadsMan]

Seriously though. I can see how Vivendi would go ballistic over Steam. Already it's cut into thier profits, and it shows no end of stopping. Vivendi stands to lose a buttload, and they also have no way of projecting how many units they will sell. How do you know how many units to print and ship if that number is in question when it goes live on Steam. So if they print too many copies, they stand to lose a healthy sum, and if they underprint, they stand to lose those lost leads to Steam. They really have no way of knowing right now how many people will buy it on Steam, and forgo the boxxed versions. Maybe if Steam had a "pre-order on Steam" feature already in place months ago, they could have then had an estimate, but it's this uncertainty, and also I am sure the publisher feels a bit betrayed...

I really could give two shizznits about Vivendi, and I am glad that Gabe is taking this very pioneering step. I think that Vivendi sees the very existence of Steam as a threat to thier business, and they may see more developers jump on the Internet Delivery bandwagon, leaving publishers in a lurch. Developers can finally wreap the rewards they deserve... I think we may even see Internet Delivery publishers emerge to take over the whole delivery sector, and carbon copies may become less lucrative. Just a theory.

Anyway, I still think it's a battle of the V's that is causing all the commotion, and uncertainty. And I think that Gabe is going to do what he wants regardless of what Vivendi wants. I believe that Valve can afford to pay the hefty fine to Vivendi and still make a large profit. Vivendi would be sooooo screwed if Gabe decided to release the game via Steam long before Vivendi got it's box units to the stores. As I, and many others I have seen, would gladly subscribe to Steam if it meant getting thier hands on HL2 sooner. And ATI may even be stepping up to the plate to kind of get in the mix...

 

[Legend]

It may indeed be a legal complication. I do not leave that out of the realm of possibility, and it's logical.

 

[MadsMan]

Just to give a ballpark idea of how much Vivendi has already lost to Steam, lets take for example the "reported" 500,000 subscribers to STEAM already. That's, in STEAM terms, about $10 per head, x500,000, which equals 5 million a month straight to Valve's pockets. Now, Vivendi will be selling the game at an average price of $40 USD. This roughly translates to 20million that Vivendi has already lost, because of the 500,000 already subscribed and waiting for the release of HL2.
Sales haven't even BEGUN for HL2, and they already know how much they lost. Ofcourse, a portion of that 20 million would have gone right back to Valve. But 500,000 will grow to twice that or more quadruple that once people realize that they can get more bang for thier buck via Steam...the latest upgrades, new content, better support, etc. Now Vivendi has lost in upwards of maybe 100million in the longrun. This Steam model would only show a rapidly declining rate of sales for Vivendi, and I am sure they are pissed off about it. Sure , Vivendi will still make sales, but it will be very modest in comparison to what they THOUGHT they were going to get till Steam popped up out of nowhere.

Oh also, and what about ATI bundling the HL2 game with thier vid cards? Doesn't that make ATI a publisher, in a round-about way? Does Vivendi get any profits from that, and if so, probably not a whole lot, right? Since the cost of the Vid card will already be hefty. Games bundled with hardware are generally not going to cost the full price of the game.

Hehe, I think this is definitely a legal issue, and I think that this was Gabe saying "Damn the Man" when he decided to make Steam. This might also account for all the "Hush Hush" going on, as they are still deliberating. Legal proceedings and stuff of this nature take time, and are very uneasy footing. I hope I'm wrong, but common sense tells me I might be on the right track here.... please don't flame me.

I want to play HL2 as bad as everyone else. I am itching to get my hands on that Source engine too. I've been dreaming about that Source engine since the first videos, and I'm goin mad!!!

 

[Apos]

Er... where does he say anything about HL2?

I don't see it
http://forum.teamxbox.com/showthread.php?threadid=218273&perpage=15&pagenumber=1

Just because a nick on one board is credible doesn't mean it's the same guy. The nick on PHL is, as people note, a very new poster.

 

[Legend]

Yeah, but it's not just him. The same thing is being said on other boards. Numerous people are confirming this meething did take place.

 

[MadsMan]

Personally, I would be happy if they atleast gave us the SDK to play with until they are finished with the game. This will give them time to polish the game even more, and maybe add some new features as well. Also consider, that maybe Vivendi wants to postpone the realease to something closer to the holiday seasons, in order to "recoup" the losses that they forsee with Steam. This may actually be a provision that Vivendi insisted on, and maybe Gabe buckled and complied, or he simply had no choice because of the legal rights Vivendi may have over them.

I have a feeling Gabe is going to make it up to us, though. And he will assure us that the game will be that much better, and we'll be happier in the end. May even offer some sort of bonus for our broken hearts. ;(

 

[e.GoRe]

I think that you guys should just wait it out. The 30th is nearing and this board is getting really weird. What if this, and my friend said that. Obviously there is the people who believe that its coming out on the 30th and theres people who believe its gonna be delayed. The latter are going around and spamming all the boards trying to ruin your hopes. Have hope.....Don't lose focus young apprentices.........

 

[MadsMan]

And, the Holiday shopping season starts around middle of November, usually right around Thanksgiving. This would also coincide with some of the release date that EB has.

eGore, I am not trying to ruin your hopes, even if it is blind faith. But this world does revolve around money, and Vivendi may wish to reposition thier sales to make the most profit they can. And the only way that can work is if Valve holds off on a Steam release.

I truly believe that the Game is ready to go gold, and has been. I am not arguing that Gabe didn't make his date. I am arguing that "the man" got in his way. and as I stated before I WANT THE GAME TOO, YOU FARTKNOCKER!:flame:

 

[poseyjmac]

aye wehres that SDK! werent they gonna release it a month before hl2 came out

 

[MadsMan]

They did. They didn't mean to the general public, though, I don't think. Just those selected mod teams...

 

[OctopusPuke]

See and Read!!!!!!!!

I work at Gamestop and there is a big meeting like E3 that all the managers from game stores and the like goto to hear about games. This was not just a Valve only meeting it had many developers and games shown. Im not lying i want the game to come out on time....this is just what i heard you numbskulls!

 

[spitcodfry]

Re: See and Read!!!!!!!!

Originally posted by OctopusPuke
I work at Gamestop and there is a big meeting like E3 that all the managers from game stores and the like goto to hear about games. This was not just a Valve only meeting it had many developers and games shown. Im not lying i want the game to come out on time....this is just what i heard you numbskulls!

Are we really numbskulls? Has out tight-knit community sunk to that depraved level of communication? Probably...but I resent the implication nonthless! And a good day to you sir! Harumh!

 

[Apos]

Interesting, however, that we haven't heard anything from the team in quite some time. Gabe hasn't answered any emails since last week. They will probably have to say SOMETHING soon.