Orange Box opened early for TF2 beta

  • By TomM_GScom, GameSpot
  • Posted Sep 11, 2007 12:37 pm PT

Gabe Newell's recent claims to the contrary notwithstanding, Valve has bumped The Orange Box from its projected October 9 release date to October 10. However, PC gamers may not be too terribly broken up about the minor delay, given that the developer revealed today that those who prepurchase The...

Gabe Newell's recent claims to the contrary notwithstanding, Valve has bumped The Orange Box from its projected October 9 release date to October 10. However, PC gamers may not be too terribly broken up about the minor delay, given that the developer revealed today that those who prepurchase The Orange Box through Steam--Valve's downloadable game service--will receive exclusive access to the Team Fortress 2 beta on September 17.

Team Fortress 2 adds a cartoony vibe to the over-the-top action of the original Team Fortress Quake mod. It will be included in The Orange Box along with Half-Life 2, its Episode One and Episode Two expansions, and Portal. In addition to Team Fortress 2 beta access, prepurchasers of The Orange Box through Steam will receive a 10 percent discount and a free copy of casual game Peggle Extreme.

197 Comments

  • Nipplehook

    Posted Sep 19, 2007 7:52 pm PT

    Bahahahhaa! I got the games (Episode 2, TF2 and Portal) for free with my purchase of 2900 XT. Plus since I got Crossfire cards I sold the other copy of the game for 50 bucks. Not bad valve.

  • Glendonlowder

    Posted Sep 19, 2007 8:32 am PT

    If you buy one of the box sets you can gift (sell) the other copies of the games you already have to other friends.

  • Groonix

    Posted Sep 19, 2007 3:40 am PT

    Man, TeamFortress 2 is very cool... Fast action, funy character and the graphique is great... 10/10

  • ldorman1

    Posted Sep 18, 2007 10:45 pm PT

    I dont have HL2 or Ep:1 - if anyone wants to give them to me, I'll take them! Thanks!

  • disketko_bg

    Posted Sep 18, 2007 9:39 pm PT

    I guess most people didn't understand the HL2 and ep1 come for free in the orange box. => You don't pay for them. It's a discounted box for HL2 : ep2, TF2 and Portal. You still can buy them at steam separately. If you already have both HL 2 and ep1, you can just make a present for someone with them. It's not like Valve is making us to pay for something we already have.

  • -Unreal-

    Posted Sep 18, 2007 1:47 pm PT

    I don't understand why so many people are saying things like "damn now I am going to get it for PC". It's confusing when most people with a good PC would choose that version anyway. These games are at home on the PC, and you'll see that when you play it that way. Using HDTV as an excuse is just biased.

  • seblci

    Posted Sep 18, 2007 10:09 am PT

    good deal, cept it doesnt work...

  • lazerluke

    Posted Sep 18, 2007 9:21 am PT

    Played TF2 today and it is Great Fun. Get down to your local cybercafe to play the whole game before it gets released.

  • eric7233

    Posted Sep 18, 2007 8:32 am PT

    I have never had a powerful enough pc to really get half life in all its graphical glory( and still dont) so im happy to get it for xbox360 and play through the whole half life set again since its so dam fun anyway. Portal will be a great little brain teazer game but im most exited for team fortress2 .. that game is gonna be awesome and crazy hectic fun...

  • riech804

    Posted Sep 18, 2007 5:50 am PT

    I remember plaing the first TF and it being the first team FPS to hold my interest. Once Valve straightens out the distribution Ill be happy to purchase. Still need more info on what is included and if anything else is required to run this Orange box, like the full HL2.

  • meto_sk

    Posted Sep 18, 2007 4:34 am PT

    Half Life 2 Episode 2 can be purchased separately for the PC for the same price as Episode 1

  • darklurker1

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 3:46 pm PT

    so this beta you speak of valve, where is it? Its almost 6:00 Central, if you are going to release it today do it already, if you aren't then tell us that you aren't!

  • uberping

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 3:31 pm PT

    well its 11.30pm now and somehow I doubt Valve are gonna release the BETA in the next half hour. So much for letting us UK crowd know..

  • PsychoLord13

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 3:27 pm PT

    OK so it's 6:30 PM EST on September 17, 2007. Where's the Beta?

  • DirkBelig

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 1:35 pm PT

    To all the crybabies whining about having to re-buy HL2 and HL2E1: How much was the Black Box expected to cost? Hmmm? How much were you going to pay for HL2E2, TF2 and Portal? $40? $50? The a la carte price of $80 for the three games as they'll be charging on Steam?

    How is $45 a ripoff when you get the first two games tossed in to give away if you don't need them? Also, can you imagine the whining if they'd kept the Black Box and people bought it and discovered the first two parts were "missing"?

    PC gamers shouldn't complain that consoles seem to get the better deal in all five titles for $60 because we got Half-Life 2 three years ago and played it the way God meant shooters to be played: with a mouse and keyboard!

  • miyijura

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 12:51 pm PT

    One of the best games of this year.
    Valve always offers the finest multiplayer games...i salute u!

  • BorkaBonum

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 12:42 pm PT

    Why are they taking so freeeeaking long to throw out the BETA? I got the pre-load all fixed up and ready to go and been updating Steam all day. God yankees are slow and gross, I bet they decide to launch it next week instead.

  • amaraklov

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 12:26 pm PT

    I'm more concerned that, I pre-loaded TF2, but it said nothing about a beta... and the beta area of steam has nothing it in it since the steam beta... So I just hope I'm not going to have to sit there and DL 1+Gig with everyone else... I mean the Forum Server over there is crowded as heck as is...

  • Seraphim8X

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 6:33 am PT

    okay, so when do we get access to tf2 beta today? and how ?

  • Warshock

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 5:50 am PT

    WELL... it's 7:50 CT on September 17th... and the beta has YET to be opened.... don't they know that they have fans waiting to kill their famlies and are installing catheters right now?

  • Drower

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 2:02 am PT

    I think it's more a question of getting HL2 and Episode 1 for free when you buy the Orange Box. Even if they weren't included it would probably still cost the same thing. Counting Ep 2, Portal and TF2, it is really cheap. Only complaint would be that you cannot buy them separately, but even if you could I doubt they would release a new game cheaper than what the Orange Box costs now on steam.

  • darklurker1

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 8:54 pm PT

    I think that with just the 3 new games orange box is a great deal, especially if you preorder on steam where its $45. The reason valve is giving us this massive incentive to purchase off of steam is because they get all of that $$$, none of it goes to a publisher or a retailer. Thats the beauty of steam from their point of view.

  • playstation_wii

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 7:25 pm PT

    Can't wait for OB!

  • LfunkeyA

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 5:27 am PT

    there's something known as cracked steam for all the crybabies. besides, you can buy TF2, Portal and Ep 2 separately on Steam.

  • pbking13

    Posted Sep 15, 2007 7:39 pm PT

    Quite tempting.

  • Nete88

    Posted Sep 15, 2007 2:20 pm PT

    i got it it for free with my ati hd2900xt and even if i didnt i would of pre-ordered it. but i didnt have to p.s. 360/ps3 suck PC rules all

  • jGman

    Posted Sep 15, 2007 7:11 am PT

    It's a no-brainer for me. Had previously ordered from EB and already own HL2. But been waiting many years for TF2 and would've paid this much just for TF2. The other games are a bonus, as far as I'm concerned. Cancelled my EB ordered and now eagerly anticipating the beta of TF2.

  • omrikk87

    Posted Sep 15, 2007 6:47 am PT

    i think its a good pack overall , i played\have HL2 , but i didnt have Ep1 , so this is gold to me , now i can still play EP1+2 , have fun with portal and still enjoy free beta of TF2 (which i really want) , good deal but somehow not fair for some ppl

  • coffeedaman

    Posted Sep 15, 2007 2:13 am PT

    I only want the orange box for TF2 =D
    Bought it off steam and its current 80% pre-loaded.. I cant wait till monday, who will fall foul of my engi-turret this time?

  • DBoCaRnAgE

    Posted Sep 14, 2007 2:34 pm PT

    TF2 has always been a PC game along with half-life, i am sorry consoles but to fully enjoy the orange box or ANY of valves games for the matter you need to get it for the PC. Valve recently was asked why they released a beta to PC goers and not 360 they're reply : we wanna keep the game at its roots, don't get me wrong the 360 version is good as well but our fan base loyalty remains with PC"

  • Nstl

    Posted Sep 14, 2007 9:52 am PT

    Ps3 version or the pc version?

  • silunt

    Posted Sep 14, 2007 9:24 am PT

    so its "to hell with people who pre-ordered from a retailer" eh? thanx.

  • Omali

    Posted Sep 14, 2007 7:55 am PT

    @sjdurfey

    The games are free, you're paying the 47 dollars for episode 2, team fortress 2, and Portal.

    Besides, you can give away Half Life 2 and episode 1 if you already own them.

  • number1blind

    Posted Sep 14, 2007 3:03 am PT

    For those worried about their systems being up to scratch, the requirements are as follows -

    Minimum: 1.7 GHz Processor, 512MB RAM, DirectX® 8 level Graphics Card, Windows® Vista/XP/2000, Mouse, Keyboard, Internet Connection.

    Recommended: Pentium 4 processor (3.0GHz, or better), 1GB RAM, DirectX® 9 level Graphics Card, Windows® Vista/XP/2000, Mouse, Keyboard, Internet Connection

    Very reasonable I think - if you can play 3d games at all, you can probably play the Orange Box (if you're very low spec you might need to run in dx7 mode).

  • rstatetidie

    Posted Sep 13, 2007 7:12 pm PT

    I can't wait until mgs4 comes out its kind of ridiculous how they keep on moving the dates back and as soon as i bought me a 360 and all these games that are supposedly good come out on ps3

  • 343_killy_spark

    Posted Sep 13, 2007 4:08 pm PT

    pc gaming ftw! take people with bad pc's and people who would rather play hl2 on a console

  • Orguss999

    Posted Sep 13, 2007 3:11 pm PT

    eh buying the games online isn't to bad, kinda nice you don't have to worry about scratched or missing cd's. I have to say, This orange box, is the best deal ever in gaming. Halflife 2 is one of the best games out, and to get all 3 plus portal and team fortress is awesome. Plus now valve is offering a 10% discount on top of that. This is all during it's release. It's not a bundle pack to come out later. I can't wait for this box to be released.

  • NateNgn

    Posted Sep 13, 2007 2:58 pm PT

    i would nvr get a game that has a pc version. the majority of games that are or will be on the pc is ALWAYS better than the console versions. PC's are more powerful and and you can upgrade them.

  • smith447

    Posted Sep 13, 2007 8:56 am PT

    I'm gonna buy this friday. wooot. TF2 looks awesome. Well, so does the whole package.

  • kikinchaz

    Posted Sep 13, 2007 2:18 am PT

    @sjdurfey No they will release the Black Box on Steam which is just Ep2,TF2 and Portal. However this option isnt available yet unless you bought an ATI Card with the Free Black Box key in it. When you buy the Orange Box on steam you will get HL2 & Ep1 to "give away"

  • BDL91

    Posted Sep 13, 2007 1:35 am PT

    damn i had a choice whether to order this or crysis i should of got this rrrrrrrr

  • onlineterrorism

    Posted Sep 12, 2007 10:35 pm PT

    I would never get TF2 for the 360, even if my PC couldn't run it. A game like TF is best played on the PC because of mods and dedicated servers. I can't imagine myself playing this on LIVE with user hosted servers and with an integrated aimbot for everyone with a 360 controller.

  • KingMega_

    Posted Sep 12, 2007 8:00 pm PT

    sjdurfey:
    You get all the games for $50... its the deal of the century! Your not paying over $100.

  • orionmgomg

    Posted Sep 12, 2007 6:32 pm PT

    You can purchanse just episode 2 for about 30 dollars on steam right now, but for 44 you get all the games in the orange box. the good thing is that they sell you different activation numbers for each - so you could give/sell your unused codes to your friends and actually make money back if you buy hard copy - if you buy through steam, you get "orange box gift" any game that is included in the orange box that is already loaded/purchased on your steam account will be credited a "orange box gift" You will see and be able to give/sell the gift only once orange box is realeased at witch time you will see the gift next to each qualifying game - go to steam support and type in orange box gift for more info. But that being said, you could actually get some cash from a freind for all you unused codes, not a bad deal at all. Though I have no friends and don't want to bother trying to sell them so im sol! LOL.

  • MagnusGman

    Posted Sep 12, 2007 3:19 pm PT

    SOLD

  • myyyyke

    Posted Sep 12, 2007 3:19 pm PT

    quit crying, it's only $45 if you preorder the whole thing. gg

  • n3ck

    Posted Sep 12, 2007 2:27 pm PT

    Orange box is still a better deal for 360 owners as most have not played HL2 as much as pc owners have.

  • ghsacidman

    Posted Sep 12, 2007 1:43 pm PT

    I might get both versions for laughs... Maybe not... All I know, is it's gonna be awesome.

advertisement

Hot Stories

Newsmakers

Featured Stories

Submit News

Got tips? Send them in!