Valve cancels The Black Box

Written by Tim Smalley

May 21, 2007 | 07:52

Tags: #black #cancelled #doug #episode #fortress #half-life #hl2 #lombardi #orange #portal #release #team #two

Companies: #box #valve

Valve's Director of Marketing, Doug Lombardi, has told IGN that Half-Life 2: The Black Box has been cancelled.

Lombardi said the following:

"The Black Box has been cancelled. 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)."

The Black Box was orignally going to be available for the PC only, with Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Portal and Team Fortress 2 included. The Orange Box also added Half-Life 2 and Half-Life 2: Episode One into the box too.

He later added "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."

It's an interesting move no doubt, but the sceptic in me says that it's a case of Valve pushing more end users towards Steam because it cuts out the publisher's royalties, earning more money for Valve. That's not to say I blame Valve for making the move.

Obviously, this news isn't going to affect anyone that was already planning to buy the games via Steam. For those that prefer having a real copy of the game in hand though, you're going to have to spend a bit more on The Orange Box and hope that someone wants to buy your HL2 and HL2: Episode One activation codes.

Which of the new games are you looking forward to the most? Tell us in the forums.
Discuss this in the forums
YouTube logo
MSI MPG Velox 100R Chassis Review

October 14 2021 | 15:04

TOP STORIES

SUGGESTED FOR YOU