New info.

[SaiTo]

Yeah but for the average joe like me that walked into Best Buy today just to look around, and I see that its just sittin on the shelf, not knowin that it was released early. So I get home and install it and boom "comming soon" wtf i just spent money on a game that I cant play. Is that my fault?

No, its not your fault. As i see it, its Best Buy's fault, starting to sell HL2 before the 16th. Because you can definetely unlock the game you just bought by that time.
If i look on this mess from a little more objective point of view, and not just form a perspective of a pissed of gamer, i cant blame VU at all.

 

[Analognovelist]

Wait.. Someone's been waiting for half life 2 since before half life 1 came out? Now THATS commitment. What.. were you like.. Hmm.. this new game looks interesting.. but what I'm REALLY excited for is the sequel to this game.. now THAT will rock

 

[what!?]

A store that sells the game early is breaking its contract with its distributer. I am pretty sure that Vivendi could take action against the guilty parties (not 100% though).

It is stupid to move up a nationwide launch because some copies of the product were "leaked" to the public early. If a hacker got a finished version of a game before the launch and distributed it, would the publisher automatically move up the release date because some people have it? I think not.

 

[Gossoon]

It is stupid to move up a nationwide launch because some copies of the product were "leaked" to the public early. If a hacker got a finished version of a game before the launch and distributed it, would the publisher automatically move up the release date because some people have it? I think not.

Not true. This happens all the time, especially in the music industry. Just recently Eminem's new cd was leaked and they moved the release date up to counter that. If some people have it it's in the company's interest to release it everywhere to avoid lost sales to piracy. Again, common sense, people.

 

[Seeky]

It's different in this case. Those trying to hack the game still do not have access to the core files required to play it. Valve/Vivendi have already sold numerous licenses over Steam, and considering the amount of controversy built over the game, are unlikely to lose any more sales through brick and mortar stores.

 

[kurtmax_0]

Admit what?


All you people are DUMBASSES.

It's called a CONTRACT. You can't just go against the contract and release the game. Even if everyone in the world including all of Vivendi and Valve wanted the game to be released, they couldn't do it.

Now stop talking about the issue if you don't know the whole story.

God damn, Raziel has a point, you people aren't listening.

Actually, contracts can be broken.. if you have enough lawyers....

 

[cadaveca]

Originally Posted by vegeta897
Admit what?


All you people are DUMBASSES.

It's called a CONTRACT. You can't just go against the contract and release the game. Even if everyone in the world including all of Vivendi and Valve wanted the game to be released, they couldn't do it.

Actually, dumbass...it's a court order, not a contract. That is why even tho there has been a early release in stores, the game has not been activated. It may actually be ILLEGAL for them to do so.

 

[Asuka]

This is becoming a interesting Flame war.

 

[MrMan16]

Its only a couple days til Half-Life 2...HALF-LIFE 2 PEOPLE! DONT YOU REMEMBER THE SILENT MONTHS? Not knowing anything, being delayed a year.....two days...two days, thats all.

 

[cadaveca]

This is becoming a interesting Flame war.

It's the endless circle...Valve, Vivendi, and then the forum members...you should be used to it by now!

 

[Robinhood_01]

it's a game.

 

[Diazo]

Really, what this comes down to IMO is the status quo vs. what "should be happening".

What "should be happening" is that in a computer game release, all stores hold the game in the back until the release date and only then do they put it on sale.

The status quo has been that a retailer will, of his own will and (probably) in violation of his distribution agreements, sell a game early in order to get extra sales because his competitor down the street is honoring the release date and not selling the game yet.

The wrench in the works is that HL2, for the first time, has an online authorization/unlocking system where the publisher is able to actually ENFORCE the release date, not have to trust the stores not to sell early. Enforced on the consumer anyway, if not the retailer, although I expect that Vivendi will at least follow up with "cease and desist letters", if not legal action to the retailers that did start selling early. Because of the activation required, Vivendi will have a good idea which stores did sell early.

Just because the status quo is now changing (if only for HL2 for now) and it changes for the worse for us (the computer game player) does not change the fact that Vivendi is within it's right to deny us HL2 until Nov. 16th.

As a computer player myself, I don't like it. But in this case Vivendi is within it's rights, regardless of how much we don't like it.

Diazo

 

[DeViouS]

i ordered through steam, put even tho, now i am tempted to buy a retail also!!!!! OMFRIGGINGOSH!!!!!!!

 

[Asuka]

It's the endless circle...Valve, Vivendi, and then the forum members...you should be used to it by now!

I am :upstare:

it's a game.

I hate that comment!

 

[cadaveca]

it's a game.

Yes, it is a game, but we are gamers, this is our hobby, and we are serious about our hobby. It's called dedication... :cheers:

 

[Asuka]

Yes, it is a game, but we are gamers, this is our hobby, and we are serious about our hobby. It's called dedication... :cheers:

Rgr Agreed!

 

[A2597]

VU = crappy corperate doo doo heads that don't give a flying F*ck about their customers.

I've said that for 6 years and it's just been proven again.

 

[Robinhood_01]

Yes, it is a game, but we are gamers, this is our hobby, and we are serious about our hobby. It's called dedication... :cheers:

You are right, we play games as a hobby, but Vivendi publish games as a business, to them it is more than a game, it is their livelyhood. Their business lives or dies depending on sales, the release date is a calculated move, and their decision, not ours.

 

[cadaveca]

You are right, we play games as a hobby, but Vivendi publish games as a business, to them it is more than a game, it is their livelyhood. Their business lives or dies depending on sales, the release date is a calculated move, and their decision, not ours.

Yeah, but when we are thier target audience...the ones that makes thier business thrive, puts food on thier plates, they should be gving us some consideration.

 

[slayertx]

Well If We Didn't Get It Today- It Won't Be This Weekend
Or Be For Tue's, If Even Then

 

[Meraxes]

So the delay is really for the people that have gotten it via Steam?

 

[cadaveca]

And those that have purchased copies over tha past 2 days, and over the next 2 before release...4 days of sales of a game that cannot be played is going to hurt someone's reputation...and it probably won't be valve, unless the game sucks.

In the real world....you can't keep EVERYONE happy.