Valve signs with EA News
PC Xbox News by Kristan Reed
Half-Life developer Valve has signed a worldwide multi-year distribution deal with U.S. publishing colossus Electronic Arts that will see boxed versions of Half-Life 2 on Xbox and the PC-only Half-Life 2: Game of the Year edition ship to stores later this year.
The first two products under the distribution agreement will be the newly-announced Game of the Year edition of Half-Life 2 (including Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, Counter-Strike: Source and Half-Life: Source) , along with a standalone Counter-Strike: Source (also featuring Half-Life 2: Deathmatch and Day of Defeat: Source). Both will be released in "winter" according to EA.
Meanwhile, the Xbox version of Half-Life 2 will be distributed and published by EA, with a release date confirmed for October.
Valve chief Gabe Newell said the deal represented an "awesome combination" in what represents a hugely significant deal for the developer.
"By combining EA's unparalleled operation structure and distribution channel with Valve's award-winning development teams and games community, we've established an awesome combination for delivering great products to console and PC gamers around the world," Newell said in a statement.
Meanwhile, it was a time for celebration at Electronic Arts, as EA Partners VP and general manager Tom Frisnia admitted that he considered Half-Life and Counter-Strike to be "two of the best game franchises of all time".
"We could not be more excited to have the opportunity to help deliver these outstanding games to players around the globe," Frisnia added.
Meanwhile, the EA-Valve deal does not affect Valve's ongoing plans for digital distribution via its Steam content delivery system. Further Valve titles, such as Half-Life 2: Aftermath expansion pack are also expected to form part of the EA distribution deal.
The news comes less than three months after the conclusion of a protracted legal scuffle between Valve and former publishing partner Vivendi-Universal. In the process, the EA-deal nixes rumours doing the rounds that Valve would continue with the deal it did with Activision in spring 2003 - a deal which produced just one very low-key title, the Half-Life mod Day Of Defeat.
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Comments: 1-43 of 43 in total
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PearOfAnguish
19/07/05 @ 09:14
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Any bets on how long before it's announced that EA is buying Valve?
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kangarootoo
19/07/05 @ 09:23
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I don't see EA buying Valve anytime soon. In fact it might do them good to be told what to do by a developer for a change.
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How does EA feel about Steam - is it something that takes away from their traditional revenue or the start of an inevitable shift to online publishing and something that EA want to get into at an early stage?
I would guess that if EA do really want to buy Valve (do they?) then it's the pioneering content delivery service that they are really interested in, either using or putting the mockers on it. |
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tonynibbles
19/07/05 @ 09:47
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Noooooooooooooooooooo!
This cannae' be. Cant believe this. Why do the c*nts of the worls take over everthing? I love Valve to bits but this sucks balls. |
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tonynibbles
19/07/05 @ 09:51
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Blerk: Is there anyone left who isn't being published by EA?
Well, its not publishing but just distribution. If I see an EA logo and hear 'challenge everything' when I boot up Counter Strike Source I will cry. Cry hard. |
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tonynibbles
19/07/05 @ 10:01
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we might have got an EA manual, which would be better than Valves last offering
lol What is it with that. Jeez - all those people moaning they needed a manual? n00bZ!111!!!1! HL2 is so intuitive you dont need a darn manual. What single thing would you need to know that you didnt already. WASD? meh... Waste of paper. Get over it!
Edited 2 times,
most recently on 19/07/05 @ 11:03
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tonynibbles
19/07/05 @ 10:08
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well I for one am looking forward to a little EA trax...
ROFL! Imagine walking through Ravenholm with tha annoying Burnout 3 DJ whistlting down your ear: "Today on zombie nation, we've got some serious decapitation ..." et cetc |
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groovychainsaw
19/07/05 @ 10:11
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bleugh! EA trax - EA cack more like (sorry...). Thank god i could put my own soundtracks into burnout or I may have killed somebody.
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EA tracks saved my sanity in B3, just a shame it didn't remember that you were listening to music and not their poo nu-metal rubbish between sessions. How could they forget to save your music settings as well or were they trying to force you to listen to that shat? :)
Remeber what music i was listening to between games EA, it's not difficult you know! I suppose you'll still need an internet connection to allow steam to break your install of HL2? |
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asphaltcowboy
19/07/05 @ 10:34
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"we might have got an EA manual, which would be better than Valves last offering :P"
Hang on, you bought BF2 right...? Have you had a look in the manual? ;)
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 19/07/05 @ 11:36
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captain-future
19/07/05 @ 10:36
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as long as the don't use this STEAM-whatever account... fine with me.
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"Hang on, you bought BF2 right...? Have you had a look in the manual? ;)"
Yeah and I think its telling that you get more in depth info about the End User Agreement and Copywrite info than the game ;) Hey, I have no idea how to use the command screen, but at least I'm aware that "EA may revoke or terminate this license at any time, for any reason or no reason, in its sole discretion" :)
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 19/07/05 @ 12:16
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kangarootoo
19/07/05 @ 11:49
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" Valve is self-publishing, EA is putting the boxes into stores. This isn't "EA signs Valve"."
What part of the above don't people get? EA aren't going to be adding their tunes or any other EA type cack. I very much doubt that they will have much say at all in the content of the releases. I would guess that HL2 is one product that EA want more than Valve want them, so I don't expect any EA meddling. And I personally couldn't give two hoots what logos appear as the game boots up, I probably squidging down into my sofa and pulling my pants out of my bum crack whilst all that is going on anyhow. |
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optimusprym8
19/07/05 @ 12:19
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Today is a bad day for the industry.
DarkEdge - fancy some Guild Wars? TonyNibbles - Ain't you got some work to do or shall I get The Green Fairy to sit on you? :P |
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kangarootoo
19/07/05 @ 16:48
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" The Xbox version is being published by EA"
Noooooooooooooooooooooo.......... Eating my previous words, and some arsenic. |
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Darth_Flibble
19/07/05 @ 20:40
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EA fanboy with an EA tattoo
http://boards.gamefaqs.com/gfaqs/genmessage.php?board=562551 &topic=22274854&page=0 (look at his sig)
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 19/07/05 @ 21:41
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Tiger_Walts
20/07/05 @ 08:25
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Heh, look at it this way, the boxed manual will be better than on the VUG release.
EA? Better? Manual? /headasplode |
Comments: 1-43 of 43 in total
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