Retailer selling HL2 out of backroom...

[othello]

from over at the steam forums...

I know a guy that actually sells it to his friends who works for a game shop...I'll ask him today. He has his copies...

could be another hoax, but this guy sounds a bit more legit imo... plus intrepid jumped all over him, but didn't ban him. its still under discussion at the original thread. someone brought up a good point though, even though valve promised to release the game if retail copies were leaked, something tells me they wouldn't ruin their precious release date even if hundreds or thousands of people had a copy. its not like they can authenticate their copy over steam anyway...

so ya, just thought i'd share...

 

[raakkel]

This is bad :/

 

[destrukt]

i have a friend who works @ eb and he gave me a copy yesterday!

 

[Naudian]

: O

This could indeed be bad :/ :\ :/ :\

 

[Shanno]

Negative. We continue as planned. Lockdown in -5 days

 

[f|uke]

even though valve promised to release the game if retail copies were leaked

When did VALVe say that?

 

[bliink]

why is it bad??? they wont work until the release day anyway

 

[CountShockula]

Ya, thats what I was about to say, Steam has that shit locked.

 

[bliink]

Ya, thats what I was about to say, Steam has that shit locked.

with a name like CountShockula, i was expecting you to say something shocking...

 

[shapeshifter]

It's possible, more then possible, consider how close we are to gold.

And it takes a good week to get copies shiped all over the world to all the stores.

Take halo 2 for example, M$ was going insane charging stores if they sold early etc, some stores had halo 2 up to a week before the 9th.

And quite a few people had their copies early (mostly store employs, but I know a few guys who got it to)

so with half life 2 yea probably is going on as we speak, now that guy might be lying, but some one is doing it.

 

[The Mullinator]

Chances that this is correct and someone is selling them early? Pretty high, these things happen.

Chances that the copies will be playable before the official release date thanks to Steam authentication? Very low.

Even if they are selling them early it really doesn't matter. They essentially have the exact same stuff and capabilities as the people who have pre-loaded off of Steam.

 

[Esquire]

aye. Really though, this steam authentication thing just stops anyone playing before the time. But still it's unfair on retail people because they're going to end up playing the game later than Steam people. But that''s the benefit of Steam and why you're paying for it (Steam).

Even if the game is activated at 8am UK time, not many people will have the retail copy at that time. IMO, us retail people should be able to buy the game now, and activate it at the same time as everyone else. That's only fair.

 

[Feath]

aye. Really though, this steam authentication thing just stops anyone playing before the time. But still it's unfair on retail people because they're going to end up playing the game later than Steam people. But that''s the benefit of Steam and why you're paying for it (Steam).

Even if the game is activated at 8am UK time, not many people will have the retail copy at that time. IMO, us retail people should be able to buy the game now, and activate it at the same time as everyone else. That's only fair.

Well, that's what was going to happen anyway. What did you expect? Getting it straight away is one of the advantages of Steam.

 

[Esquire]

Well, that's what was going to happen anyway. What did you expect? Getting it straight away is one of the advantages of Steam.

Joker, i already said that!

 

[Solver]

So every big title leaks, and I expect several dozen and perhaps more people to have the game within the next 24 hours.

However, there is a big difference. Retail copies are not encrypted, they are decrypted, but require activation from steam - that one-time registration. Which, unlike the encryption, is really easy to hack.

 

[LAYP]

Well they didn't want people to complain they couldn't play the game.

(hey that rhymes)

 

[othello]

you guys aren't getting my issue apparently...

ok, i understand that all retail copies are useless until authenticated through steam, correct? and that the authentication servers wont be activated until the 16th, correct? if both of those statements are true, then why would valve promise to release HL2 early, if retail copies were somehow leaked, if those copies are useless until the 16th anway?

 

[Dee]

LOL, i can confirm that BESTBUY does have half-life 2 but wont sell it until tuesday....I drove to bestbuy before work and asked them if they had it the guy told me to hold on he had to goto the back and get it, he went got it and headed to the counter with it when another guy stops him and says that they arent suppose to sell it yet until the 16th. Anywasy to make a long story short they looked in the computer confirmed it and told me that they were sorry that they couldnt sell it yet and to come back tuesday.

FARKING ARSEHOLES!!@$@!$@!$@!$ LOL OH WELL COUPLE MORE DAYS!

 

[othello]

well this thread is sorta worthless now, considering there are multiple threads on multiple forums about this very topic (with pictorial evidence). people are buying HL2 legitimately (receipt and all) from Target, wal-mart, best buy, eb games, etc...