Valve Cancels Half-Life 2 Black Box

[Andy Chalk]

Valve Cancels Half-Life 2 Black Box

Valve Software [http://www.valvesoftware.com/] has canceled the release of its planned Half-Life 2: Episode 2 Black Box, and will instead be offering only the higher-priced Orange Box edition.

Offering Half-Life 2: Episode 2, the puzzle game Portal and the long-awaited release of Team Fortress 2, the Black Box was intended to be a lower-cost release for gamers who already own previous Half-Life 2 products. Along with the three previously-mentioned products, the Orange Box will also include the full version of Half-Life 2: Episode One [http://half-life2.com/].

"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," said Valve Marketing Director Doug Lombardi. "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."

Gamers who have already paid for the earlier Half-Life 2 products are no doubt equally excited about the prospect of having to do so again.


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[Geoffrey42]

I think it only fair to point out in any coverage of this issue that if purchasing through Steam, you will not be forced to repurchase copies of HL2 or Ep2, and that this only applies to retail.

In addition, in this world of SKUs and retail shelf space, it is FAR cheaper for Valve to market 1 SKU with everything, than to market and differentiate two different packages.

The argument is there to be made that they should've axed the Orange Box instead of the Black Box, as HL2 and Ep2 are still available in retail if people want them, but I'm sure corporate overlords and marketing folk would have spazzed if they tried to cancel the more expensive one.

Not really defending the move, I'm just trying to point out what I've seen lacking in most of the write-ups on this subject.

 

[Andy Chalk]

Your comments are valid, but you overlook one crucial point: this decision bends the customer over in favour of increased convenience and profits for Valve. Regardless of the justifications, that's what it comes down to, and while I'm fairly certain it will have about zero effect on Valve's sales, it's still a little on the greasy side.

As much as I hate to say it, I'm now out of the Half-Life game. I've played and loved all the Half-Life titles (I even liked Blue Shift), I forked out big bucks for the half-assed Half-Life 2 Collector's Edition, but I can't abide being forced into re-buying content I already own.

 

[Junaid Alam]

I think it's likely you'll see the three new games sold either in one bunch or a la carte sometime after the initial release on Steam. So that works out nicely - for Valve. But I like boxed copies of new games and I don't like being forced to repurchase what I already own.

 

[Geoffrey42]

@Malygris: I don't think I overlooked it, though you can validly claim I glossed over it. This is exactly what I was referring to when I said that the argument can be made that they should've cancelled the Orange Box, but higher-ups choked on cancelling the more expensive package (and the higher margin one, most likely).

This is in favor of Valve's bottom line, and not in favor of the individual's bottom line. Agreed. I'm not defending it, I just felt the coverage has been unbalanced in a lot of places, including your post.

@Junaid Alam: What are you saying? We will likely A. see TF2+Portal+HL2Ep2 sold together or a la carte in a retail box after they have all been released on Steam, or B. see them on Steam after the initial retail release of the Black Box? I'm just trying to parse your sentence.

If Response = A : This seems incredibly unlikely, given the tendency of games to be increasingly bundled with other games as they age to keep up the retail price/value of the individual SKU, and the market for anyone who didn't want to use Steam, or shell out 10 dollars (Assuming Orange = 50 and Black = 40 as I've seen reported elsewhere) for games they already owned in a retail version, is probably very small as few people are that patient. They either caved, or gave up on Valve altogether.

Else If Response = B : The "Black Box" combo will be available on Steam the day of the retail release, if not before. Unless the B&M stores are threatening to boycott their wares if the digital release is not delayed, there is no reason for Valve to hold back their highest margin retail channel.

Else : I have no idea what you're trying to say.

 

[Andy Chalk]

I'm not really seeing what's "unbalanced" about it. Are you referring to the general consensus in reports that it's a cheezy cash-grab that could very well alienate a small but significant portion of Valve's audience, without making particular note of the fact that the move will still likely be good for Valve's bottom line? Because I think you'll find that's just an assumption that most of us expect readers to make.

On the other hand, if you're just talking about the possibly-slightly-snarky tone of the post (and most others out there), well, believe me, you should've heard what I had to say in private.

 

[Ian Dorsch]

Meh. I just can't get worked up about this. I bought Ep 1 via Steam and I'll buy Ep 2 via Steam as well. Retail boxes are so...20th Century.

 

[Geoffrey42]

By "unbalanced," I'm referring to saying "Valve is forcing everyone to buy HL2 and Ep1 again just to get Ep2 with Portal and Team Fortress 2" without saying that it is a B&M retail issue only (even if it's only a footnote). I understand, and empathize with your POV that Valve is screwing over the people that prefer to buy their games on disc in boxes. I don't question your editorial take on it being Valve putting their bottom line before their consumers.

My ENTIRE POINT is that very few places have been presenting all of the facts, let alone bothering to play Devil's Advocate for Valve. There are even people who use Steam to buy games who might be reassured that they won't have this issue, but instead, are faced with blanket statements like "Gamers who have already paid for the earlier Half-Life 2 products are no doubt equally excited about the prospect of having to do so again" that remain unqualified by the facts. I was never attacking your view, or the general consensus, on how screwed people are by this decision.

 

[Joe]

Part of being a reporter is having an opinion on the news as it comes your way. Don't let broadcast journalism confuse you of that.

 

[Ian Dorsch]

It's not the "opinion" part that chafes. It's the part where he entirely neglects to mention the fact that the games will still be available via Steam outside of the retail bundle. So, in fact, "gamers who have already paid for earlier Half Life 2 products" may not necessarily be "excited about about the prospect of having to do so again," because they are actually not required to do so in order to enjoy Ep2, TF2, and Portal in spite of what the article implies.

I don't begrudge anyone the chance to be snarky and snide. That's what the internet is for, right? I just expect to read the whole story, not just the part that is guaranteed to incite frothy-mouthed nerd rage. Even if it ruins someone's awesome ironic punchline.

 

[Russ Pitts]

You're assuming, Ian, that everyone enjoys buying games without discs or packaging and that Valve isn't making this move to ensure that more people will buck their natural tendency (to want to own what they buy) and go to Steam to avoid just what you describe. This is a case of developer playing distributor and attempting to herd cats toward the channel from which they make the most money. I don't fault them for it, but let's call a spade a spade here.

 

[Ian Dorsch]

Dude. I'm not assuming anything of the sort. Valve's motivations here are certainly open to all kinds of legitimate question and criticism. I just don't think it's fair to suggest, as the article does, that there is no other way to purchase Ep2 than by purchasing the Orange Box bundle at retail.

 

[Russ Pitts]

I think the suggestion is that there's no other way to buy the retail version than to buy the Orange box bundle, which is entirely fair and accurate.

 

[Ian Dorsch]

Sure, if that's the suggestion.

 

[Andy Chalk]

Being able to purchase the Ep2 games separately over Steam wasn't mentioned because that's not what the story was about. Valve is putting a retail product on the market which forces people to pay a second time for a product they may very well already own; that's it, that's all. The Steam channel didn't get a specific mention because honestly, it never even entered my mind as relevant to the matter at hand.

 

[Ian Dorsch]

Well I guess that's fair enough. But it's relevant to me and many other PC gamers who buy Valve products via Steam. I would imagine that those numbers are not insignificant among the sort of online-savvy gamers who read The Escapist.

It's not common knowledge that Ep2/TF2/Portal are going to still be offered a la carte via Steam. I actually have yet to see a news post on any site that explicitly mentions it.

 

[Geoffrey42]

While it seems that the original post/article was only intended to refer to the retail channel impact of Valve's decision, it was phrased in a way which indicated a greater scope, despite the Black Box software equivalent's availability through Steam. That is truly all I was trying to point out. Malygris may have meant "retail" but he never said it, and in this wonderful new world of mixed distribution, retail is not the only way to buy games.

Speaking to Valve's decision here, their slight to consumers is twofold. By canceling the Black Box, they're forcing people who want discs and boxes and manuals to (let's say, 90% of the time, with 10% being new to the HL2 universe) re-purchase games they already paid Valve for. This contributes directly to Valve's bottom line, when they could've (assuming there was a sound financial reason to only push one SKU) left the Orange Box for console's, and the Black Box for PCs (much easier to differentiate across platforms), thus giving gamer's the ability to buy what they really wanted. The second group of people getting screwed in favor of Valve's bottom line are those who really want a physical copy of the game, but turn to Steam because they refuse to pay again for what they already bought. They will pay essentially the same price as they would've for the Black Box, but they won't get DVDs, manuals, or a box, and the margins for Valve will be massively higher.

 

[Ian Dorsch]

More discussion here: http://steamreview.org/posts/hl2blackbox/

This article makes the interesting point that Valve may also be trying to break the retailer's hold on minimum pricing. A frequently provided rationale for the parity between retail and Steam pricing is that retailers will balk at stocking a product that is available for a lower price online via Steam. On the other hand, Valve has been stung in the past by retailers offering their products (Ep1 in particular) at launch for less than the Steam price. By only offering the Orange Box at retail, Valve will have greater flexibility with the pricing of any other Ep2 bundles they may offer via Steam, which could hypothetically give their existing retail customers more incentive to switch to Steam.

Also, all those spare Orange Box product keys for HL2 and Ep1 floating around are going to generate a lot of new Steam users, which can only be a good thing for Valve.

 

[Joe]

Well, I think it's pretty obvious they're trying to influence people toward Steam. Forcing people to pay out twice at retail is brilliant if you're trying to get people into digital distribution, whether they like it or not. Personally, I don't like being penalized for wanting something tangible in my hands, especially when the original, ethereal product cost the same as the physical one.

I may be a luddite or something, but in the days where EULAs and shrink-wrap licenses are legally binding, I'd like to have my databits on a CD I can use after yanking the ethernet cable from the wall. It's obvious that's not in Valve's best interest. So now it's gonna cost me extra for that luxury. It's their prerogative, but it's also shitty.

 

[Ian Dorsch]

Yeah, I agree, it sucks for the consumer, no question about it. I'm just obviously already sold on Steam and digital distro in general so I can't manage to get myself all outraged about it.

I may be a luddite or something, but in the days where EULAs and shrink-wrap licenses are legally binding, I'd like to have my databits on a CD I can use after yanking the ethernet cable from the wall.

You know Steam lets you create backups of game files, right?