Why Wont HalifLife2 Be Released Via STEAM On The GOLD Date ?

[Sir Dingo]

Something doesnt make sense here ? So HalfLife2 should be going "gold" in the next week or so, that means the game is officially finished and takes a week or two, for shipping across the country and set up for release in stores, etc..

But if the game is officially finished on the "gold" day, why not release it via STEAM the same day ?

 

[Axyon]

Sales.. they need to get money from box sets as well.

 

[simmo]

Originally posted by Sir Dingo
Something doesnt make sense here ? So HalfLife2 should be going "gold" in the next week or so, that means the game is officially finished and takes a week or two, for shipping across the country and set up for release in stores, etc..

But if the game is officially finished on the "gold" day, why not release it via STEAM the same day ?

hnmmm....good point

 

[scribblehead]

maybe it does, but it would cost twice as much (marketing )

 

[PvtRyan]

Think for a second please.

If you release the game on STEAM when it goes gold (approx. 15 sept) no one will wait another 15 days before they can buy it in the stores. So the publisher of the game won't be too pleased since they will sell much less copies of the game.

 

[Sir Dingo]

So basically Valve will be sitting on the finished game for a couple of weeks, where they could just release it on Steam ?

 

[Chris D]

Well the simple answer is guys, is that the release date is the 30th September. Always has been, always will be.

 

[FictiousWill]

originally posted by Sir Dingo
So basically Valve will be sitting on the finished game for a couple of weeks, where they could just release it on Steam ?

Did you read the above posts? It's a (wise) business decision, not a deliberate attempt to make you personally suffer! Jeez - get a life.

 

[Chris D]

The world wide release date is the 30th September. I think it's only fair that it comes out on Steam and Retail at the same time.

 

[Miculus]

I'm sure in their contract with V.U. or Sierra (which ever, same thing almost,) they are not allowed to release before the release date. From my understanding, all the money made from Steam sales belongs to Valve while in store sales go to the stores, then V.U. then the pennies that are left filter their way down to Valve. So my guess is that V.U. was miffed that Steam existed so they specifically put in their contract that it could not be released earlier.

Mic

 

[Tropico]

i hope everyone gets it at the same time.
I´d hate to come to this forum a read how amazing the games is , fight the urge to read spoilers and the grand finale, or read post about peolple complaining that the game is crap...
Almost there people...

 

[CommieX]

That's why on Sept. 30 you stop coming to the forums until you get the game.

 

[Guest]

Originally posted by Sir Dingo
Something doesnt make sense here ? So HalfLife2 should be going "gold" in the next week or so, that means the game is officially finished and takes a week or two, for shipping across the country and set up for release in stores, etc..

But if the game is officially finished on the "gold" day, why not release it via STEAM the same day ?

Well this is 100% plausible, but only maybe 0.000001% probable, seeing as chances are Vivendi-Universal actually wants to make money.

 

[ZeoviZ]

Between the finished game and the release, they have much work to do. Besides, they might allow precaching the game a few days after it goes gold, and then unlock it so that everyone can play it the 30th.

Anyway, they could as well release the boxes way before the 30th some places if it goes gold on the 15th.

 

[Bastion]

PvtRyan, hit the nail right on the head with his post.

 

[Anthraxxx]

Impulse 101 !!!!!

 

[ZeoviZ]

It would be easy to come to an agreement between Valve and Vivendi concerning the Steam-releasing before the box. Vivendi should not be the problem.

 

[jAkUp]

if they do release it before the date, every warez monkey will find a way to send it out to all the 56k's and yadda yadda yadda... i think its a bad idea

 

[Apos]

I wonder if they will take a break after the gold date anyway: like a vacation. Then they will be back at work on Sept. 30 to release it on steam and handle any bugs or patching issues.

 

[papa jake]

Originally posted by PvtRyan
Think for a second please.

If you release the game on STEAM when it goes gold (approx. 15 sept) no one will wait another 15 days before they can buy it in the stores. So the publisher of the game won't be too pleased since they will sell much less copies of the game.

Bingo!! Well put.:thumbs:

 

[6iXx]

May be they will allow people to buy and download HL2 before 30th, but not send the CD-Keys / Activation codes untill 30th sept.

 

[Pjotr]

Originally posted by Sir Dingo
But if the game is officially finished on the "gold" day, why not release it via STEAM the same day ?

Who said they won't release it on Steam the very first day? Steam goes live on Wednesday. If you currently do NOT own a copy of HL, you will not be able to play HL over Steam from Wednesday. You will then have to subscribe to Steam to play. When you subscribe for $9.95 a month you get ALL games released on Steam, including HL2. Why on earth wouldn't they release HL2 on Sept 30 then? The whole point of Steam is to get subscribers and as Gabe said, some will buy boxes, some will buy online. I see no reason to separate launch dates.