Episode One Gold!

[Kanehdian]

Still on target for June 1st!

HALF-LIFE® 2: EPISODE ONE AVAILABLE JUNE 1

Valve Launches First of an Episodic Trilogy

Bellevue, WA, May 22, 2006 - Valve®, developer of the blockbuster series Half-Life® and Counter-StrikeTM, announced Half-Life® 2: Episode One has gone gold. Episode One is the first in a trilogy of episodes that will conclude by Christmas of 2007.

Half-Life 2: Episode One advances the 15-million unit selling franchise and launches the first in a new, three-part series that leads far beyond City 17. Half-Life 2: Episode One does not require Half-Life 2 to play, and will be available via Steam® and at retail stores in North America for just $19.95 on June 1st. Also included in Episode One is a first look at Episode Two, which will ship by year’s end.

“Given the rapid changes in PC gaming, we expect episodic games will have the same impact on single-player gaming that Counter-Strike had on multiplayer,” said Gabe Newell, president and co-founder of Valve. “The frequent releases of upgraded technology and new content works better for both consumers and developers, and is one of the key reasons Counter-Strike grew to be 80% of the online action market. We decided that a follow-up to Half-Life 2 delivered in 18 months with our first episode was more in tune with what our customers want than waiting 6 years for another monolithic product.”

Episode One offers a new single player experience created by Valve, and is designed to be four to six hours in length. Stepping into the hazard suit of Dr. Gordon Freeman, you face the immediate repercussions of your actions in City 17 and the Citadel. Alyx Vance and her robot, Dog, will accompany you in your efforts to aid in the human resistance’s desperate battle against the totalitarian alien menace of the Combine.

In addition to the new single player experience, two multiplayer games are included. And those who purchase Episode One will have free access via Steam (www.steamgames.com) to Half-Life 2: Lost Coast, the interactive technology demo that introduces High Dynamic Range lighting to the SourceTM Engine, Valve’s award-winning game technology.

About Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2 has been named Game of the Year by over 35 organizations and sold over four million copies worldwide. The intense, real-time gameplay delivered in Half-Life 2 and Half-Life 2: Episode One is made possible only by Source, Valve’s proprietary engine technology.

About Valve
Valve is an entertainment software and technology company founded in 1996 and based in Bellevue, Washington. The company’s portfolio of entertainment properties includes Half-Life®, Counter-StrikeTM, Day of Defeat®, and Team Fortress®. Valve’s catalog of products accounts for over 20 million retail units sold worldwide, and over 80% of PC online action gameplay. In addition, Valve is a developer of leading-edge technologies, such as the Source game engine and Steam, a broadband platform for the delivery and management of digital content. For more information, please visit www.valvesoftware.com

 

[Ennui]

whoa, had just found this and was about to post

 

[Asknoone]

Sex

 

[TheCheckt]

Sex

Indeed. :farmer:

 

[^Ben]

Years end :Z

 

[AJ Rimmer]

Whoopieee!

 

[clarky003]

I hope their already hacking away at their 3rd engine while they are dishing out these episodes

 

[Asknoone]

Nope. No 3rd engine for Valve - they are sticking with Source, and updating it as they go. Thank god too, whilst other developers are investing in graphics Valve are investing in what matters most - gameplay and story.

 

[Hypnosos]

Yay!! Btw, they have also launched the first teaser for Episode 1, you can find it in "media" as promised.

 

[xombine]

Nope. No 3rd engine for Valve - they are sticking with Source, and updating it as they go. Thank god too, whilst other developers are investing in graphics Valve are investing in what matters most - gameplay and story.

You got that right, I think it is a very smart move from them. Source is in no way out of date and quite a solid engine. They'll definately get years out of it.

In regards to going gold, it only adds to the excitement!

 

[DigiQ8]

Half-Life 2: Episode One gold, Two dated, Three announced

 

[Black Mesa corp]

:angel:

 

[pomegranate]

Nope. No 3rd engine for Valve - they are sticking with Source, and updating it as they go. Thank god too, whilst other developers are investing in graphics Valve are investing in what matters most - gameplay and story.

Er, what? If Valve were that bothered about pure gameplay they could've licensed somebody else's engine for HL2 and focussed all their energies and money on the gameplay, which is where I think they went wrong with HL2, compared to HL1.

 

[MorganFreeman911]

two DATED?!?!?! :cheers:
YAHOO

"In addition to two new multiplayer modes and the Lost Coast tech demo, Episode One will sport a preview of its sequel, Half-Life 2: Episode Two. The expansion, the existence of which was revealed in February, will add another four- to six-hour minicampaign to the Half-Life 2 saga when it is released later this year. Previously, the game had no official release window or date.

Today's gold announcement was the first official confirmation that a third Half-Life 2 episodic update is in development. Like Episode Two, Valve divulged little in the way of information about Episode Three, saying only that it was the last "in a trilogy...that will conclude by Christmas of 2007.""

 

[AKIRA]

What new multiplayer modes will there be?

 

[Sparda]

Bleh...:x i have to waid 2 more weeks before i can get it :angry:

 

[99.vikram]

You and me both. The price of wanting a box :flame:

 

[Asknoone]

I'll be buying the box anyway.

 

[Zephos]

"Today's gold announcement was the first official confirmation that a third Half-Life 2 episodic update is in development. Like Episode Two, Valve divulged little in the way of information about Episode Three, saying only that it was the last "in a trilogy...that will conclude by Christmas of 2007."

So is that implying that it will be longer? Or just that they need the time to make a fantastic conclusion?

*Continues to worry about when retail version comes in* EDIT: Just rang up EB. They say July 13th?

 

[99.vikram]

Lol, that's a mistake they make often. June 1st on EB.

I'll be buying the box anyway.

I can barely afford 3 games a year on my pocket money, so :flame:

 

[Sparta]

"In addition to two new multiplayer modes and the Lost Coast tech demo, Episode One will sport a preview of its sequel, Half-Life 2: Episode Two"

Que? New Multiplayer Modes? **** yeah.

 

[Tamer17]

Did you forget? It's HL1DM:source and HL2: DM.

 

[wildchild730]

if it was hl1dm: s and hl2dm, it would be ONE new mp mode, hl2dm isnt new.

 

[99.vikram]

Probably CTF or something.

 

[Rizzo]

Ctf?

 

[kupocake]

if it was hl1dm: s and hl2dm, it would be ONE new mp mode, hl2dm isnt new.

Neither is DM:Source really "new" if you want to be picky. You do get those two games only, if the official website is to be believed over Gamespot. (http://ep1.half-life2.com/overview.php) The steam-press release talks about "Two multiplayer games" (http://www.steampowered.com/index.php?area=news&id=629). Evidently, gamespot just assumed that they meant the games were new if they were selling them as part of the package, forgetting the mechanics of the steam system.