Valve ARG Gives Fans Power to Release Portal 2 Early

[Tharwen]

The people who created those indie games will be dancing with joy right now...

Also, I hope this gets some more support for genuine distributed computing projects. I think more people need to take part in them.

 

[CakeDragon]

What I'd like to know is, does that mean it's released in the shops early too? I don't want to miss out...

No, it's just the Steam version that would get unlocked early. They can't just take tens of thousands of disks and ship them early at this point.

Usually the shops receive the games a few days in advance so they can put them on the shelves in time for release. Just wondered if, say, the shops already have Portal 2, that they'd put them out according to Steam's release... I can live in hope

Then there's the issue of manpower. Those stores have to schedule their employees to handle the volume of customers coming in for big title releases.

Ah yes, that is quite true.
Well, I think I can wait an extra couple of days. Worth it for two copies I guess...

 

[Braedan]

Of course people will be angry with this tactic. I'm assuming most will either think "cool" or be neutral, but we gamers seem to have some entitlement issues. Of course Valve wants you to buy their products, it's business. I think this is a very cleaver way of doing it that hurts no-one.

I for one, support our new potato overlords.

 

[Wintermoot]

I got a question.
Does this also work if you buy the game loose from the potato sack?
I would like to play the Portal level from ball but don,t want to buy the sack.

 

[Wintermoot]

Of course people will be angry with this tactic. I'm assuming most will either think "cool" or be neutral, but we gamers seem to have some entitlement issues. Of course Valve wants you to buy their products, it's business. I think this is a very cleaver way of doing it that hurts no-one.

I for one, support our new potato overlords.

also it,s a great commercial for indie developers

 

[MasterWhatever]

Haters gonna hate.
I like this marketing, an valve is great for it. Long live Valve!!!

 

[Caffeine Rage]

I think this is just brilliant.

While it is a bit frustrating to have the carrot dangled a bit longer, it is for a good cause. Not only is it going to launch Portal 2 early. But, it also gives some face time to some great indie developers that weren't as well known two weeks ago.

 

[Hashime]

I got a question.
Does this also work if you buy the game loose from the potato sack?
I would like to play the Portal level from ball but don,t want to buy the sack.

The sack is totally worth the money. Trust me.

 

[Braedan]

Of course people will be angry with this tactic. I'm assuming most will either think "cool" or be neutral, but we gamers seem to have some entitlement issues. Of course Valve wants you to buy their products, it's business. I think this is a very cleaver way of doing it that hurts no-one.

I for one, support our new potato overlords.

also it,s a great commercial for indie developers

Agreed, More power to the sector that gives us the most innovation.

 

[mjc0961]

The Steam forums are bursting with rage, it's too funny.
People are angry that they didn't get handed the game early for nothing, seemingly forgetting that it's not supposed to be out until Tuesday.

Yeah, it doesn't make any sense.

"We made an assumption based on a rumor that had no real proof behind it that the game will come out early! But to the surprise of no one, the rumor turned out to be incorrect and we might have to wait until the normal release day to play! HOW DARE YOU DO THAT VALVE!"

Really? You guys are the ones who bought into the rumors. I don't recall Valve ever saying the game would come out today.

 

[sharpshot]

I got a question.
Does this also work if you buy the game loose from the potato sack?
I would like to play the Portal level from ball but don,t want to buy the sack.

You do not have to buy the Potato sack deal to obtain the special portal content. Nor do you need the deal to take part in the CPU donation. Give! All for our Potato powered GlaDOS

 

[SamStar42]

I don't like this. It's an attempt to take money from those who NEED THEIR FIX of Valve games so much that they'll buy things that they would never purchase before. You could say that's good, but I prefer to think of it as teasing. They're offering you a chance to get a game released early which IS COMING OUT ANYWAY.

How many of you would have actually bought these games without this incentive? If this was EA saying ME3 will be released sooner if you buy Dragon Age or Battlefield stuff you'd go mental.

 

[shado_temple]

I got a question.
Does this also work if you buy the game loose from the potato sack?
I would like to play the Portal level from ball but don,t want to buy the sack.

The numbers in the count are the live number of players playing the games, so I would imagine that you can join in regardless (that's what I'm trying, anyway).

Also folks, you can get a potato for free by joining this steam group [http://steamcommunity.com/groups/nelipot]. Since I don't quite know what counts towards the setup, I figure might as well go for both.

 

[Fingerthing]

Valve, you magnificent bastards.

This is a win/win, really. Indie developers get support, gamers could get Portal 2 a bit early, Valve gets tremendous publicity, and if you don't want to buy the games, you don't need to put in the effort. If you do, you get creative, quirky indie games for a low price.

This pretty much, although they are getting a bit TOO pushy with the potato pack.

 

[Zechnophobe]

I got a question.
Does this also work if you buy the game loose from the potato sack?
I would like to play the Portal level from ball but don,t want to buy the sack.

I am guessing it does work, since I loaded up audiosurf before going to work, and had Glados choose my song for me (it was random, but happened the first time, not subsequent times however). I don't have the potato sack, just a few games from it.

... yeah and i left Audiosurf on when I left, hopefully that'll help... somehow.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

If I bought the potato sack, it would be more than if I was going to buy each of the games I don't own individually, plus out of those, AAAaaaAAaaa is the only one I might consider getting. I planned on getting the PS3 version, anyway. The whole ARG thing was an amazing idea, though. Hopefully the levels (especially The Ball one) will stick around after this. Too much work/homework to play this weekend.

 

[castlewise]

I'm super impressed that they are using their game to promote indie games. I mean, everything is on Steam so Valve still wins. But they could have tried to market their own games using the arg, or some other big company's.

Just to repeat what others are saying:
1) You dont need the potato pack to help. Just one of the games on the list.
2) The potato pack is great and has a bunch of top tier indie games.
3) You can get a discount on portal if you buy the portal 2 + potato pack.

(Honestly, this might all be just a big party that Valve is throwing because they are actually ready to release early for once.)

 

[TrogzTheTroll]

I wish I could buy the rest of the pack :/ oh well, will work with what I've got.

 

[GeorgW]

But they'll only release it on Steam early. I want the PS3 version. That way I can get the steam vversion for free, and I only have to wait a few more days.