My Best Buy is selling it, is yours?

[Gossoon]

First of all I don't know why the other thread about Best Buys was locked. I would have happily posted on that one instead of starting a new thread. This is valuable information that people deserve to know.

So anyway, just got back from the Best Buy in Portland, OR and they have dozens of them on the shelf and several CEs. Talked to a guy with two copies in his hand and I told him that it wasn't activated until Tuesday but he didn't care. I've already downloaded it so I didn't buy one but I just had to see for my own eyes if the rumors are true. And they are. What is Valve going to do? This is not a handful of copies sold out of the backroom, it's a full-on promo display. They've got to activate it. The street date has been broken .

 

[Trebaruna]

They don't *have* to do anything. Depending on their actual contract with Vivendi they might not even be allowed to unlock HL2. (I heard that quote thing where they talk about premature release was an urban legend..?)

Personally I don't think anyone will legitimately playing HL2 before tuesday.

 

[iamaelephant]

This is really big. We'll wait and see what happens, but I strongly doubt it will be unlocked before Tuesday.

 

[Platinum]

Even if i did see it at best buy ... i would not buy it until tuesday

 

[Gossoon]

But for a huge chain like Best Buy to break a release date nationally they must have gotten some kind of OK. There is no way they would risk that sort of legal liability if VU hadn't said it was allright.

 

[Solver]

I think there must be over 100 people with retail copies already. But probably not going to be unlocked early. If Valve would unlock early, I think they would do this on Friday, when many shops broke the date. I take the fact that they didn't do it to mean that VU won't let them.

 

[Sashswash]

Maybe it'll unlock...that'd be cool But it's only like 2 days and 6 hours or so until Steam unlocks it. :cheers:

 

[iamaelephant]

I think there must be over 100 people with retail copies already. But probably not going to be unlocked early. If Valve would unlock early, I think they would do this on Friday, when many shops broke the date. I take the fact that they didn't do it to mean that VU won't let them.

There is a shit load more than 100. I have heard of at least half a dozen stores selling completely out of stock, I'd wager that there's over 2000 copies sold thus far.

 

[abryden]

Mine in madison wisconsin is selling it as well, I have pictures also.

 

[Gossoon]

And what's with the lack of a statement from Valve about the confirmed, widespread selling? Nothing. So typical. That line from Gabe in the Gamespot article about communicating with the fans is hot air. If he can find the time to bid on ebay he could update us about the status of the damn game.

 

[SaiTo]

HL2 is on the street, so what? All those folks have the same data now as those who bought on steam. LOL, why should that force Valve to unlock earlier? I can hardly belive they could be manipulated so easily, now that barely 3 days left.
Quite the contrary, let the hype raise even more till Tuesday, it will only benefit Gabe&Co. They have the last word in this, and i think that'll be on 16th, not sooner.

 

[cadaveca]

if valve said that they would unlock it if "X" number of people bought the game...i'd go buy the other 2 copies i plan on getting...otherwise i'll wait until after christmas!

 

[AmishSlayer]

Valve or VUG doesn't have to do anything. The Best Buy's have sold the game before the street date...too bad for the people that have it. I have HL2 and I paid for it over Steam...but that doesn't mean they need to activate it...

 

[anti_authority]

my canadian future shop has em in stock $59.99 CAN for the normal one but you get a free mouse, and none of the ghey mail in rebate. im springing for the CE however

 

[Ch1cKeN]

whoa, canadian for 59.99?

I'm there.

 

[Ownzed]

I have it pre-odered at GameStop for a year now.

 

[anti_authority]

haha, first you take our medicare, now your taking our games. shame on you

 

[VodkA-HLC-]

No where does it say the game could only be bought on tuesday the 16th? It's like this, you might have to be 21 to buy beer but you don't have to be 21 to drink it. I can see if the game was playable then yeah big street date braking, but your forgetting that everyone who bought the game off of steam has the exact same gcf files that are located inside the retail box. Just like we can't activate the game with what we have preloaded, so can't those that have bought it retail so who cares?

 

[giant384]

i was going to go buy it at bestbuy today but they took them off teh shelves