Half-Life 2: Episode Two delayed, final products revealed

By Tor Thorsen, GameSpotPosted Feb 7, 2007 12:12 pm PT

PS3, 360, and PC Orange Box editions include original game, both expansions, Portal, Team Fortress 2; slimmer PC Black Box also unveiled; HL2: Platinum "tabled."

Last July at Electronic Arts' summer showcase, Valve Software CEO Gabe Newell made a surprise appearance to announce that Half-Life 2 was coming to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Both versions of the game, tentatively titled Half-Life 2: Episode Two, were slated to go on sale in time for the 2006 holiday season, when the stand-alone PC expansion of the same name would also launch.

While the revelation was not particularly surprising--Newell had issued prior statements saying Valve was experimenting with the 360--the presentation did include a few stunners. Out of nowhere, a revamped version of the long-thought-dead Team Fortress 2 appeared, and a trailer for the new dimension-hopping game called Portal left the audience yearning for more.

Luckily, EA and Valve announced Team Fortress 2, Portal, and Half-Life 2: Episode One and Two would all be bundled together with original game with the 360 and PS3 releases. The stand-alone PC expansion would also have the two new games as a bonus. However, just over a month later, word came that all versions of Episode Two--including the stand-alone PC expansion--were delayed until early 2007. Then in November, reports emerged that the game wouldn't arrive on store shelves until summer.

In both cases, the delays were revealed unofficially by Valve's director of marketing Doug Lombardi to the European press. However, today came official word of Half-Life 2: Episode Two's release window from Electronic Arts. And to the surprise of virtually no one, the game has been pushed back yet again, as all three versions of the game now bear a "fall 2007" release date.

The games' new date means that there's a good chance the 2007 holiday season will look a lot like the 2004 holiday season, which saw the original Half-Life 2 compete with the latest entries in the Halo, Grand Theft Auto, and Metal Gear Solid series. If those franchises stick to their traditional October and November time slots, it would prove another pocket-book-crushing year for gamers.

EA and Valve also announced the final titles for the games formerly known as Half-Life 2: Episode 2, which the publisher will release in two "product configurations." First is the Orange Box, which will include the original Half-Life 2, Episodes One and Two, Team Fortress 2, and Portal. The Orange Box will be released for the PC, 360, and PS3, but EA confirmed to GameSpot that it will be the only Half-Life 2 product offered for the two consoles at retail.

Besides the Orange Box, PC gamers will also get the Black Box, which will include Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Team Fortress 2, and Portal. It, too, will be available this fall. Neither boxed set has "Half-Life 2" in their official title, as they are "game collections," according to EA. "The Black Box and The Orange Box represent a new approach to publishing multiple products on multiple platforms," Newell said in a statement.

In other Valve-related game-collection news, Half-Life 2: Platinum "has been tabled for now," according to Lombardi. The retail boxed set, which was to bundle Half-Life 2, Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, Episode One, Counter-Strike: Source, and Day of Defeat: Source, was set to ship this month.

393 Comments

  • Procheater

    Posted Jul 25, 2007 1:44 pm PT

    "And to the surprise of virtually no one, the game has been pushed back yet again..."
    I certainly ain't surpirsed...

  • Specimen2501

    Posted Jul 10, 2007 3:13 am PT

    Wow, can't really say I'm surprised, they are so half-@ssed anyway

  • Glordit

    Posted May 18, 2007 3:31 am PT

    been delayed again......................

  • Baster

    Posted May 11, 2007 5:06 pm PT

    I hope all the bashers remember their comments when Valve rushes Episode 2 out the door...buggy and incomplete.

    Valve has been known to take their time, and the finished product is always spectacular. Yes, I'm not a big fan of the fact that three years later I'm still waiting on episode 2 of 3...but hell, I'll still play em, because they'll be great games. It's either this or wait 6 years for a finished game (1998-2004). Half Life 3 in 2010 seems like a long way away.

  • fishwish22

    Posted Apr 29, 2007 2:41 pm PT

    Fishwish
    Halflife in little chunky bits is not as satisfying as longer game play.I will support there efforts and love the game but I am not keen on episodes I would rather have a full finished game to play any day of the week.I hate waiting for a short ride.Rather wait for a long one.

  • mgu

    Posted Apr 20, 2007 5:06 pm PT

    Awww, this blows. I was hooked on Episode 1 even do it felt like i played in the darkness of an alien zombie mandness for a long time and i had more logic to how to get from point a to point b. Anyways, i am looking foward to the game portal. Something to keep me from shooting aliens for a bit. I am disapointed with episodials to, it's taking way to long. Maybe they are forgeting what have said and planned and looking at this 2nd episode like a normal game. But like Half life 2 first came out after like years! Everyone was like Wow. So giving Valve time must be good! They are not just Counter Strike: source all day =P.

  • BDANick

    Posted Apr 10, 2007 8:30 pm PT

    Some of you are trying to say that we the paying customers are being irresponsible in our impatience. Im sorry, the whole point behind episodic releases, was to ease the pressure on these teams in the first place. By releasing what are in my opinion inferior games, not because of their snazzy graphics but simply because they are not a full gaming experience, releasing products like this behind schedule is simply counter productive. You then ask the fans to buy other games with it? bundled packs, black and orange. Im sorry what happened to the good old days when you could buy a FULL GAME on its own in the store. Another problem i find is these episodes are being used less to complete the gaming experience and more to further exploit the technology available. This is not the experience i want. I appreciate the effort Valve, i really do, unfortunately these delays come across only as a cause of extreme frustration. I believe this is a result of newer formats, technology giving designers too much to fill. I am certain that this sort of trend will continue unless teams such as valve find methods of increasing efficiency. Whether that means hiring new programmers or simply sticking to this paradigm for a while, this sort of trend HAS ALREADY lost them customers.

  • klingons76

    Posted Apr 9, 2007 11:44 am PT

    Once again Valve has disappointed its fans by delaying another episode.
    Episodes were originally meant to be released every 6 months, not once every Christmas season. The cause, making the game for 3 platforms (PC,Xbox360, PS3) and trying to to keep the date releases all fairly close together, as to not show favoritism for one platform over the other. But the question is, is it worth waiting 12 months for 4-10hrs. of game play. I admit, I have personally been a fan of Half-Life since Oct. of 1998, when Half-Life came out on PC. I have been patiently waiting for each expansion since then, but there comes a time when you are no longer willing to wait and you find yourself looking at other shooters worth 10-30+hrs. of game play.
    Now as a side note.
    I believe Valve did a well based consideration to the fans by creating Team Fortress 2 and Portal, to be released with Episode 2. To keep the fans busy playing puzzles and capture the flag, which will provide hours of frustration, challenges, and perhaps a feel to climb the ladders of success to be the best. Now we can whine and mumble about the dates being delayed - once again - or we can wait for Value to show us, the dedicated fans, their product and why the wait was - or wasn't - worth it.

  • Haklin

    Posted Apr 6, 2007 9:03 am PT

    gameinformer.com have 3 great new articles on tf2...i hope the gamespot guys get some hand on play time for us to read about!

  • DMShadows

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 9:37 am PT

    While I am a big fan of HL and HL2... I was disappointed when they announced that the next parts of the story would be done in Episode format. I was hoping for a HL3... not EP1, & 2 etc etc. But, I simply decided at the time... I will wait for a box set... let them release all the episodes they want... box them together and buy them at once... And here's HL3... Unfortunately it seems that the time between Episodes is getting longer and longer... and with the sudden end of the SiN episodes (or so it seems, I hope I am wrong)... And with things like ET:QW, Crysis, UT3, and Halo2: Vista on the horizon, I just don't think I personally am willing to wait for "Episode" type games... give me the full game in one package for one price.... I'd rather not buy each episode with such a long wait time inbetween and only get 4 to 10 hours of gaming out of each package... just my humble opinion.

  • neo16161616

    Posted Apr 1, 2007 7:44 am PT

    NOOOO!!!! I CANT WAIT ANY LONGER!!!!

  • iliasark

    Posted Mar 28, 2007 2:28 am PT

    I've played all HL series and it would be without sense to just abandon the game right now.Using the logic seems pathetic to wait for so long a game, further more when its all about an expansion/episode.Though,I think on the other side that games sometimes take a lot of effort to come considered ''gold'' as the Half Life is for us. I'd rather prefer to play a PERFECT game delayed, than to play a mediocre and buggy one on time lets say.(with the assumption that will delaying,Valve improves the game itself).Well, time to install something else to play till that mmt comes :-P

  • flankenstein

    Posted Mar 14, 2007 2:55 am PT

    I was over my ears back in November when the Gameplay Movies were released, now I'm not that interrested anymore.

    btw. IGN said it would cost $39,00

  • doktron

    Posted Mar 13, 2007 7:49 am PT

    I thought episodic gaming was supposed to shorten wait times between games(6 mo. to 1 yr.) for a shorter game experience(5 to 10 hrs.) instead of waiting 1 to 3 years for a full expansion game with 20 to 30 hrs. of gameplay. I believe HF2: episode1 and episode2 probably could have been made as a single full expansion to HF2 and would have been released by now!

  • jsloane

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 4:57 pm PT

    crossing fingers for a x360 and PS3 version of the Counter-Strike: Source pack (which includes Day of Defeat: Source and HL2: Deathmatch) that they have at retail for PC. Maybe we'll get HL1: Source too....probably not. Damn I wish my PC didn't suck so bad

  • GrrrboyMC

    Posted Mar 8, 2007 4:17 pm PT

    Valve do produce some excellent stuff - I think we all agree with that. I just don't like the way they are treating their customers. There is little excuse for them keep pushing the release date back. It won't stop me buying the game, of course. Not sure what I think about this 'black box' / 'orange box' business. I'm not that interested in team fortress, why should I pay for it? I assume you'll be able to download HL2 Ep2 through steam without the others...???

  • JaketheFool

    Posted Feb 27, 2007 4:56 pm PT

    I agree with fire_hunter. Ive been with the series from the beggining, and im not abou to give up on it now.

  • ponyboy33_99

    Posted Feb 27, 2007 2:00 pm PT

    LOL!!! I dont know what these game companies are thinking this game will be outdated by the fall I highly doubt I'll be buying it. This is just like Stalker that game would have been cool 2 years ago. LOL!!!

  • Tainar2001

    Posted Feb 25, 2007 11:13 am PT

    You know what, everyone just shut up and wait. Jesus, its like your just whining and whining about how long its going to take, as if you have no other games to play. HL2 was amazing, and yes, it took a long time to make. But stop whining about the wait. Play some other games while you wait, like I dunno, CS:S or something.

  • fire_hunter

    Posted Feb 21, 2007 7:45 pm PT

    for 5 hours of gaming we have to wait a year....
    I Agree!! This is just stupid. And EA has it hands on the game too.... Thats even worse... Im giving up on this one....

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