Half Life 2 Available?

[jdogg707]

I don't know if anyone else has seen this, but I was searching over on IGN and ran across this little bit of info. Seems HL2 might almost be upon us...

 

[clicknext]

Yes, currently pre-loading. My guess would be that it'll go gold within a month now...

 

[prometheusxls]

This current preload is mostly minor stuff. More will be available as launch nears.

Most retailers who had advertized 9/1 have pushed back to 11/1 release date.
Ebgames

 

[aswedc]

Originally posted by: prometheusxls
This current preload is mostly minor stuff. More will be available as launch nears.

Most retailers who had advertized 9/1 have pushed back to 11/1 release date.
Ebgames

I think the preload is much more than minor stuff. Why else would Valve keep delaying it? It comes in at somewhere around 1.1GB, so its at least half the game and probably 2/3. Keep in mind that when you download games over Steam, it only downloads enough to let you begin playing, not the full game. If you check on the total download progress of, say, Counter-Strike after you've begun playing it'll still say 70% or so. Combining this with the official Valve statement, my theory is that the game is ready to be played as soon as they turn it on.

As far as the street date goes, first of all since when did retailers have accurate information. Someone guessed and the rest are probably just copying. Second, I wouldn't be surprised if Valve has a Steam only exclusive period for the game. They have said they stand to make 2x per Steam copy sold compared to retail, so what better way to make money and publicize Steam than an exclusive. Vivendi can't do crap about it, every other publisher would die to get a chance at HL2.

 

[warcrow]

Text

 

[Slogun]

Yea, preload was supposed to have started the other day, but it didn't work for me till tonight.
I'm currently 10% preloaded, but my preference is to buy the CD.

 

[Pocatello]

This is indeed exciting news. Hopefully it will go gold in September.

 

[clicknext]

I've already registered my copy of HL2 with Steam, but I hope I'll still get a copy in the mail from ATI.

 

[rmrf]

I just remembered I purchased an activation key from someone on the board about 9 months ago. I'll have to get this set up for sure.

 

[Slogun]

Anybody know where the preload gets stored on our comps, I'd like to check how big it is.

Found my answer: "Its actually 1.01gb, its located in the steamapps folder filename base source shared materials.gcf"