The Black box is no more.

[Hard`]

http://pc.ign.com/articles/790/790013p1.html

Black Box in a Pine Box
New Half-Life 2 content packaged strictly in orange.
by IGN Staff

May 18, 2007 - Half-Life 2: The Black Box is no more. The package, which was to offer Half-Life 2: Episode 2, Portal, and Team Fortress 2, has been officially cancelled by Valve. The Orange Box will be the only collection offered when Episode 2 releases this fall. Priced $10 higher than the Black Box, the Orange Box adds the original Half-Life 2 and HL2: Episode 1.

"The Black Box has been cancelled," said Doug Lombardi, Valve's director of marketing. "We're going to have one package, The Orange Box, available on the PC (US$49.99) as well as the 360 and PS3 (US$ 59.99). In addition to the three new products -- Portal, Team Fortress 2, and Half-Life: Episode Two -- The Orange Box will also contain the full version of Half-Life 2 and Half-Life 2: Episode One. 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."


Nice! Now i can ''give away'' the copy of HL2 and episode1 that i already have!

[Edy]

AWESOME!!


Just kidding, thats a total piece of bullshit. Thank you steam for making me pay another 10-15 bucks for games that I don't want so that I could give them to people that don't want/need them.

[Klone]

Why are you complaining? $50 is still an awesome price for 3 new games. This actually works better for me because I haven't bought episode 1 yet.

[KiliK]

valve probably did this to make it more simple for the average consumer. cause if you think about it, it is kind of confusing with all of the seperate episodes and all. this decision is no doubt going to upset the hardcore hl2 fans who already own the existing games but shit i'm willing to pay whatever amount to get my hands on tf2 so it's no big deal to me.

[C-Aim]

Bastards. Now we are supposed to be their sheep distributing their product so that they can get more business from otherwise non existent customers who will likely want to buy HL2 ep2 and the other games; thus creating a huge cycle. Thanks for passing on the savings assholes.


Anybody else think that this will just allow people (read: hackers) to have 3 steam IDs rather than get the product out?

[janordy]

eBay

[northern lights]

I'm pretty sure you will be able to buy TF2 and HL:EP2 and PORTAL all separately but they might be like $19.95 each so $49.95 still works out.

[Bad Luck]

so im forced to pay an extra 30 bucks for 2 games i already have paid for....well with that on top of the super medic HW combo and the year+ it takes them to deliver one 4 hour episode, im certainly thrilled.

[unfy]

Anybody else think that this will just allow people (read: hackers) to have 3 steam IDs rather than get the product out?

Cheaters?

[wads]

Why are you complaining? $50 is still an awesome price for 3 new games. This actually works better for me because I haven't bought episode 1 yet.

same

[aXeman]

^

[CHIPMAN]

If 10$ is such a huge amount, you probably shouldn't be buying video games in the first place :rolleyes:

[Hard`]

If 10$ is such a huge amount, you probably shouldn't be buying video games in the first place :rolleyes:

I don't think people are crying over 10$, it's more a matter of principles.

The way i see it is that Valve (and any other video game company for the matter) takes their previous customer for granted when it comes to a sequel.

Just as TF2 is built around gathering a fresh new player base, having only one box will turn out into a goldmine for them since they know well too much that the majority of people are going to be like you and me and say; "well it's only 10$".

As Northern lights said you will probably be able to buy all 3 game separately but the whole package deal will end up better, free steam id to hack with i guess.

[Hampster]

It is kinda annoying.

If you're buying it off of Steam, you might as well get another account so you can play HL1/2 mods with a friend though. :)

[Jarek]

kinda sucks but ive been needing a new steamid to play on odins anyways :)

[C-Aim]

But it isn't 3 full games really... HL2 EP2 is 1/3rd of a game just like EP1 was (probably only 5-8 hours in length), TF2 is just a multi-player only game, and Portal is a game they swooped in and bought up from an indie group isn't it?

The fact of the matter is that HL2 came with HL2, HL2MP, CS:S and DOD:S (if you got the silver one). HL2 was a full and lengthy game as well. All for about the same price.

Now people have to re-buy HL2 and HL2 EP1* for an extra $10 even though you already paid for them both. Ep1* was like $20 and even that was kind of pushing it for what you got (5 hour game). So you gain no extra games but you pay extra money.

It's a matter of principle as somebody said already. They basically just gave the finger to the loyal fan base because they are afraid that people who didn't buy HL2 to begin with are too stupid to make the right purchase. Instead of just making it so that if you buy the Black box by accident you can just pay the extra $10 over steam to upgrade to the orange they are forcing everybody to buy the orange.

Plus, I could go buy a used (Full) game for a console for $10... You wouldn't buy a DVD movie and then later buy the same movie for $10 would you?

[Janus]

But it isn't 3 full games really... HL2 EP2 is 1/3rd of a game just like EP1 was (probably only 5-8 hours in length), TF2 is just a multi-player only game, and Portal is a game they swooped in and bought up from an indie group isn't it?

The fact of the matter is that HL2 came with HL2, HL2MP, CS:S and DOD:S (if you got the silver one). HL2 was a full and lengthy game as well. All for about the same price.

Now people have to re-buy HL2 and HL2 EP2 for an extra $10 even though you already paid for them both. Ep2 was like $20 and even that was kind of pushing it for what you got (5 hour game). So you gain no extra games but you pay extra money.

It's a matter of principle as somebody said already. They basically just gave the finger to the loyal fan base because they are afraid that people who didn't buy HL2 to begin with are too stupid to make the right purchase. Instead of just making it so that if you buy the Black box by accident you can just pay the extra $10 over steam to upgrade to the orange they are forcing everybody to buy the orange.

Plus, I could go buy a used (Full) game for a console for $10... You wouldn't buy a DVD movie and then later buy the same movie for $10 would you?
but it has extra hidden features!! </sarcasm>

read: LOTR extended editions.

[AO`]

Why are you complaining? $50 is still an awesome price for 3 new games. This actually works better for me because I haven't bought episode 1 yet.

Same here; this actually works out perfectly for me.

[Redneck]

Why are you complaining? $50 is still an awesome price for 3 new games. This actually works better for me because I haven't bought episode 1 yet.

^

[Racer]

$10 isn't alot for me, but I already bought HL2 and EP1 so I wont buy them again. If EP2 and TF2 are not sold separately at a fair price, then I'll just DL FF and be happy and wait for Half-Life 3. The whole point to episodes was they were supposed to be fast and cheap.

[Ignatz]

oh whatever. just make sure the games are face-meltingly awesome and then no one will care