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Half-Life 2 Black Box gone, only Orange Box remains
Filed under: PC, Action, First Person Shooters, Business

The PC's Black Box bundle of Half-Life 2: Episode 2, which was to include HL2:Episode 2, Portal and Team Fortress 2 had a head crab dropped on it today and is no more. The $49.99 Orange Box is the only thing that will be offered to PC gamers and it will include the original Half-Life 2 and HL2: Episode 1, along with everything else that was to be in the Black Box. Xbox 360 and PS3 owners will be charged $10 more than that for the same thing as PC gamers, swallowing the standard "next-gen" price of $59.99.

Valve's Doug Lombardi says it's not so bad, "Those who purchase the PC version of The Orange Box will get three separate Steam product codes: One for the three new games, one for HL2, and one for Episode One. This way a PC Orange Box owner can give away their Half-Life 2 or Episode One unused Steam product codes if they don't need a copy of those games. We are excited to deliver the highest value of new gaming content ever offered in one box."

Now that's some slick spin. PC Half-Life gamers have to spend $10 extra to buy this thing they probably don't need so they can give it away. We're sorry, what? Can people just take Half-Life 2 and HL2: Episode 1 out of the box if they don't need it and take $10 off the top? If you're a believer in digital distribution, none of this will affect you because everything will be downloadable through Steam, which if you already own Half-Life 2, you've already got. It's just such a strange thing to charge consumers $10 extra for something you tell them to just give away if they don't need it.

See also: Team Fortress 2 gets cheeky Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Author: Alexander Sliwinski
Category: black boxgordan freemanhl2orange boxsteamvalve
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Source: Joystiq
Description: Joystiq

I didn't buy HL2 Ep1, so this is fine by me

I just hope I won't have to buy HL2 and Episode 1 again if I buy it from Steam.

Hopefully it'll be available seperately from Steam. I think it's pretty shit really that they're charging extra for an old game to be bundled in, especially if you already have it. When they release Ep3 are we going to have to pay for Ep1 and 2 again?

deject wrote:I just hope I won't have to buy HL2 and Episode 1 again if I buy it from Steam.

Fukin This.

Wait, are they saying I have to rebuy HL2 and Ep1 if I want Ep2, TF2 and Portal?

Isn't that a bit... well, speshul?

I blame console gaming. Companies are always screwing over the PC gamers by doing stupid stuff like waiting an extra six months to release a game because zomg teh crappy console ports aren't finished yet!11!!

Isn't that just for the shop-bought boxed set though? Like Deej said it'll hopefully be available on Steam seperately. Still, as with any internet rumour I'd take it all with a pinch of salt.

Dog Pants wrote:Isn't that just for the shop-bought boxed set though?

Yep, anyone who already has the game will buy through Steam anyway, this is more to get the new HL2 punters in

I smell EA.

This is stupid, like if Shivering Isles was only available by buying it with Oblivion, and then the next expansion only by buying both previous games.

I'll be buying online but will a package of Ep2, Portal and TD2 still be available?, or will we have to pay for 3 individual products?

mrbobbins wrote:will we have to pay for 3 individual products?

That would definitely suck the big one, but I guess we just need to wait and see. Any further news on a release date yet?

Lateralus wrote:
That would definitely suck the big one, but I guess we just need to wait and see. Any further news on a release date yet?

Nah, it's better that way (as long as you only pay proportionally the same). You can just buy the bits you want then. It will probably be all three anyway though.

It's only for non-Steam people, and you need Steam to play it anyway. I suspect it's more their market research talking than a conscious desire to rip people off. Of the small percentage of people who would only buy a boxed version, less had Ep1, yet would consider it as a bundle - or something.

I've never had any problems with Steam, so I'll be getting it from there.

FatherJack wrote:It's only for non-Steam people, and you need Steam to play it anyway. I suspect it's more their market research talking than a conscious desire to rip people off. Of the small percentage of people who would only buy a boxed version, less had Ep1, yet would consider it as a bundle - or something.

I've never had any problems with Steam, so I'll be getting it from there.

This

Seeing as Valve pocket all the online monies anyway, I suspect it'll be Vivendi who have pushed for it anyway (if vivendi still publish valve titles, my information is probably out of date).

buzzmong wrote: This

Seeing as Valve pocket all the online monies anyway, I suspect it'll be Vivendi who have pushed for it anyway (if vivendi still publish valve titles, my information is probably out of date).

vivendi only had rights up to HL2, it's been EA since then, IIRC.

Dr. kitteny berk wrote:
vivendi only had rights up to HL2, it's been EA since then, IIRC.

oh fuck! Its infected!!