Valve cans The Black Box

By Tom Bramwell Published 21 May, 2007

The future's Orange.

Valve has decided not to bother with The Black Box, which would have allowed PC gamers to buy Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Portal and Team Fortress 2 without having to pay for unneeded copies of Half-Life 2 and Episode One.

"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)," Valve's Doug Lombardi told IGN. The Orange Box will still contain all five products, but PC owners will get three separate Steam product codes - one for the new games, one for Half-Life 2, 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," says Lombardi.

Valve is currently targeting October for the release of The Orange Box, although that date may change. For more on its contents, why not read our first impressions of Half-Life 2: Episode Two?

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (52) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Inquisitor #1 5 years ago

    Valve really are showing other developers/publishers up in terms of value.

    The orange box is a fantastic deal, they could have released half life 2 alone on 360 and ps3 for £20, and episode 1 and 2 for £10 a pop.

    The orange box basically includes portal and team fortress for free!

  • theguyfromspark #2 5 years ago

    You can still buy them seperately over Steam though. Assuming you want to give your credit card details to every hacker on the Internet.

  • Hypercube #3 5 years ago

    This is crap. I don't want to buy it over the internet - I want a hard-copy of the new stuff. And I don't want to pay for products I already have and then "give them away". What's the reasoning behind this stroke of 'genius'?

    Edit: I expect it's a 'subtle' way of persuading PC owners to use Steam. Will the Orange pack cost more than buying the 3 new titles individually over Steam?
    Edited by 1 at 21/05/07 @ 09:46

  • bushwod #4 5 years ago

    anyone else get the impession the people in Valve's sales can't device what to do?

  • asphaltcowboy #5 5 years ago

    Um... that's crap :/

  • NoQuarter #6 5 years ago

    A hard copy? The hard copy is worth nothing without the online Steam service. You can't play it without Steam, yet you can download the game from them as many times as you should need, on as many new windows installs/computers as you should like.

    A box with a disk (with no manual either) in is worthless, I got episode 1 in a box because I lacked a credit card, I never even took the CD out of the box and it's worthless clutter now.

  • Sir_TimAlot #7 5 years ago

    Agreed, tis good value for all those who don't already have it but it seems valve is kinda dumping on loyal customers who have already bought their products. Gonna have to purchase separately using steam which i'm not to happy about.

  • Lemming81 #8 5 years ago

    NoQuarter, you are an idiot.

    Can't you see that with a boxed copy someone can install and play the game alot quicker than you can download it? Not to mention uninstall/reinstall it as many times as they require AND download it as well?

  • Killerbee #9 5 years ago

    Sorry, but that sucks. How about rewarding your loyal customers who've already bought HL2 and Episode One?

    Yes, I know we can use Steam, but there's a difference between wanting to and having to - I'm not paying over the odds for two games I've already paid for and I'm less than happy at having to submit my credit card details to Steam, and waste a load of my monthly download limit on something they could easily provide on a DVD-ROM.

    Yes, monthly download limits FTL and all that, but sadly that's reality for a lot of broadband users in this country.

  • sickpuppysoftware #10 5 years ago

    Episodomy

  • BadBoyBonner #11 5 years ago

    Sounds great value. Let's be honest, most houses have more than one PC in them. Where many games players have grown up become a family and the kids are now playing on the PC. Now you can simply put a valid code on another computer and stop the Dad's from crying that they can't get on to play death match! lol

  • DUFFKING #12 5 years ago

    59.99 is standard price for games in the US right?

    Excellent, that'll be 40 pound off t'internet :D

  • George-Roper #13 5 years ago

    @lemming81

    You, sir, are the muppet.

    Speak for your own, shitty, broadband service regards download times but when i´m blistering away at 20mb/sec, I couldnt give a flying fuck about a waste-of-space box.

    Digital download is the future. Get out of your miserly 'MUST HAVE PROOF OF PURCHASE' mentality. As if a box sat there actually means anything.

    Double-muppet.

  • mustardkid #14 5 years ago

    "This is crap. I don't want to buy it over the internet - I want a hard-copy of the new stuff."

    wooaahh!! mellow out grandad! You need to get yrself all digital n' shit. What do you need a box gathering dust for. If it makes you feel better you can archive yr steam files and draw a picture of gordon on the disc. get with the programme dude yr so last week. hard copies are soooo antiques roadshow.

    ;)

  • mustardkid #15 5 years ago

    starting a sentence with "You, sir" is only ever acceptable in the letters page of the daily mail - so barely even acceptable at all, sir.

  • DB2k #16 5 years ago

    George Porgie Roper.. don't be so naive.

  • Dirtie #17 5 years ago

    Mr. Roper: In some places there is still a monthly quota on broadband - I'd much rather install from a CD instead of in effect wasting more cash just to download.

  • George-Roper #18 5 years ago

    Dear all,

    Get fucked.


    The end

    =)

  • ZuluHero #19 5 years ago

    "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," says Lombardi."

    That’s very generous of me ;)

  • Hypercube #20 5 years ago

    Well I can see there are two distinct opinions here, but why does anyone who wants to download it give a f*ck about whether I want a boxed copy or not? You download it and be happy and I'll want it boxed.

    My complaint is the disparity between the two release versions, and whether this is Valve's way of really getting people to use their preferred content delivery.

  • Ryuken #21 5 years ago

    Poor decision of Valve, the Steam-deals aren't accessible for everyone but they don't know that it seems.

  • robg #22 5 years ago

    Stop exchanging banalities, everyone. Here are some thoughts.

    1) You need Steam to play HL2 whether or not you have the boxed version.
    2) There are loads of updates to HL2 out now so if you didn't download the latest version and just installed from the original then it might have required lots downloading anyway, who knows.
    3) OTOH, if someone wants a hard copy that's not a bad thing. Saying something's out of date is never an argument against using it. Often it's just a lack of imagination on the part of the more "up-to-date" person.
    4) This is ridiculously good value for money with these 3 games.
    5) I wish Steam accepted Switch/Maestro.

  • Sir_TimAlot #23 5 years ago

    are EA still publishing all this?

  • Killerbee #24 5 years ago

    The thing I don't understand about this is that surely most PC owners who are going to be interested in Ep. Two will have already bought HL2 and Ep. One or, if they haven't, both games are readily available for decent discounts.

    I'd have put money on the old Black box being the bigger seller than the Orange on the PC format for exactly that reason. I wouldn't mind Valve chucking HL2 and Ep One on the Ep Two disc for free, but they seem to be doing this in order to justify charging a higher price to everyone. Either that or it's an attempt to force people to hand over their credit card details to Steam - and I don't like that either...

    And this: "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," says Lombardi.... is just nonsense. Okay Doug - how about I give you my unused and unwanted product codes and you refund me the RRP of both HL2 and Episode One? What, no deal?

    This kind of practise is reminiscent of the forced bundles certain gaming stores force on you when all you want is to buy a vanilla console. It's a very poor way to treat your customers.

    Retail aside, downloading will be more of an inconvenience to me than having the physical product. Even with a decent 8Gb connection, it'll take quite a while to transfer 900MB+ of data, and since I choose not to have Steam running on my PC unless I'm actually playing a game on it, I'm not really enamoured by the idea of having to see if it starts pre-loading...

    I'm excited by the game itself, but Valve are losing me on their customer relations and sales drive...
    Edited by 2 at 21/05/07 @ 10:36

  • Hypercube #25 5 years ago

    Sorry robg, wasn't aware I was being banal ;)

    I know I need Steam running to play the games, I just like having the actual box n manuals n stuff when I get a game. Call me old-skool if you must (but not grandad! I'm only in my 30s!). If Steam didn't keep my credit card details once I'd purchased I'd be a lot more inclined to get it digitally, and if I had a DVD burner (yeah, I know, I'm a bit slack and should get one) I'd be able to back up all my Steam stuff for quick re-installation should I need it.

    I do think Killerbee has put it well though - giving away my unused product codes? Why don't Valve buy them back off me? It just seems to be a very thinly disguised "Hey everyone! Use Steam!" ploy. I would prefer it if they just came out and said that.

    It certainly seems to have polarised opinion anyway!
    Edited by 1 at 21/05/07 @ 10:50

  • kangarootoo #26 5 years ago

    ""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," says Lombardi."

    Thats a little bit wooly, though part of me does find it refreshingly honest :)

    I don't really blame them though. You will never sell both bundles to the same customer, so you have a mire of sales prediction numbers to sort out (its hard enough with a single SKU).

    @NoQuarter

    +1 Christ, and I thought I was the only one who preferred DLC.

    @Lemming81

    You need to grow up mate. Is that how you always react when somneone disagrees.

    "Can't you see that with a boxed copy someone can install and play the game alot quicker than you can download it?"

    Is that seriously the most important thing for you? Even if it was, DLC would stiull be quicker as I can download a game quicker than you can go to the shops or wait for your online order to be delivered.

    Bloody stroppy kids. Why aren't you at school?

  • Freek #27 5 years ago

    So can Valve now finnaly stop pretemding they're doing episodic gaming?

  • GordonJ@work #28 5 years ago

    I never could be bothered with ep1, here's hoping I can just by TF2 and Portal via steam.

  • lambtron #29 5 years ago

    "NoQuarter, you are an idiot.

    Can't you see that with a boxed copy someone can install and play the game alot quicker than you can download it? Not to mention uninstall/reinstall it as many times as they require AND download it as well?"

    You're making some very sweeping generalisations about people's internet connections there ;)

  • ZuluHero #30 5 years ago

    well im tempted by the 360 version now.

    At least i'll be able to just bring home the game and play it on the comfort of my sofa, with a lovely big screen and surround sound.

    The last two times i've tried to register and patch the game via Steam (both HL2&Ep1) my internet connection was down and i had to do it with a 56kb and it took easily in excess of 4 hours.

    And with the extra kick in the teeth of 1p a minute...

  • El_MUERkO #31 5 years ago

    Fairly shitty but I'll be buying them over steam so it wont hurt me :)

  • mallocks #32 5 years ago

    "You can still buy them seperately over Steam though. Assuming you want to give your credit card details to every hacker on the Internet."

    Wow. Just, wow.

  • Lemming81 #33 5 years ago

    Lambtron, hardly.

    You can have the fastest internet connection in the world and I would still install it/uninstall it and reinstall it before you'd finished downloading it if I was using a disc copy.

    It's more convenient to have it on disc.

  • UncleLou #34 5 years ago

    A little cheeky. Still, you'll get Episode 3, TF2 and Portal, for the price of one game. How much cheaper could they have made the black box?

    I guess it has also to do with making the distribution logistics easier (besides charging a little extra).

  • thesombrerokid #35 5 years ago

    You all seem to fail to realise that EA are the ones doing the hard copy distribution, it's much more likely that they've said to valve "we're only going to distribute 1 copy of the game to all formats & thats the orange box, we don't see why we should shell out more cash on distributing to the pc than the consoles when it's a shit money earner"

    in fact if they had their way they'd distribute hard copies to the consoles without touching the PC, so in a way kudos to valve for getting some poor sap of a publisher to sell something that valves already selling for less and in an arguably better form.

    if that is the case whether valve could've stopped it is down to the terms of the contract & tbh i don't think they should, people should stop thinking short term when you're buying a disc you're paying a large portion of your money to the publisher distributor & retailer who have sweet FA to do with the game, you're appreciation is not being shown.

  • thesombrerokid #36 5 years ago

    btw it's not more convenient to have it on disc, because it means you have to have the disc on you if you want to install it & if you feel that way then valve let you burn a copy which you can install quick sharp.
    & sheer economics man i bought hl2 & ep1 and got a shed load of free games with it for £15 when the boxed retail version was going for £30 (if i wanted to burn that to disc and get all the benefits of a hardcopy i'd be able to buy a blank dvd for

  • kangarootoo #37 5 years ago

    @thesombrerokid

    "in fact if they had their way they'd distribute hard copies to the consoles without touching the PC"

    You think? I'm sure they are glad of the cash wherever it comes from. Sales of HL2 on PC are still significant and EA get nothing from the sales made over Steam.

  • thesombrerokid #38 5 years ago

    @kangarootoo
    yeah you're right there, but i still reckon it doesn't make financial sense to them to release 2 versions to their smallest market (theres way to much competition from piracy & steam on the pc to justify the biggest expense)

  • HoriZon #39 5 years ago

    Also most of you fail to see that you don't have to burn the backup to a DVD you can run the install off your hard disk i have mine sat on a usb hard drive all 8gigs ready to reinstall for ep2 etc.
    Edited by 1 at 21/05/07 @ 14:52

  • kangarootoo #40 5 years ago

    @thesombrerokid

    "but i still reckon it doesn't make financial sense to them to release 2 versions to their smallest market"

    I agree. I'm sure they just looked at the costs and risks of doing two skus (I always forget what that stands for, anyone?) and just thought "lets drop the one that we expect to sell less of", safe in the knowledge that many who would have bought the black box will now just buy the orange edition instead.

  • UncleLou #41 5 years ago

    btw it's not more convenient to have it on disc, because it means you have to have the disc on you if you want to install it & if you feel that way then valve let you burn a copy which you can install quick sharp.


    You don't need to have the disc on you. If you buy it on a disc, you'll have a Steam account where the game gets unlocked like everybody else has, and you can henceforth download it wherever you are with just your Steam account. So no disadvantage at all, with the added bonus that you don't need to download it if you don't want to.

  • Dragul #42 5 years ago

    I'm just wondering one thing... when Episode 3 comes out will we have to buy HL2, Ep1, Ep2, CS:S, TF2 and Portal all over again?!

    /is being sarcastic...

  • Avenger1324 #43 5 years ago

    It makes a mockery of it being episodic doesn't it.

    If I want to buy the third series of a TV program they don't force me to buy the previous 2 seasons with it, so why should a game? Yes the Orange box is a great deal if you don't own any HL2 games, but its a crap deal for those that already own both HL2 and EP1.

    I don't have a 20mg connection, nowhere near that speed, and a download limit to boot, so downloading it is out of the question. Having to pay again for the same game is ridiculous.

    Just guess what will happen with EP3 - yep - you get to buy HL2, EP1 & EP2 again - YAY!! :(

  • ZeroAX #44 5 years ago

    i didn't read ALL the coments but some of them really show how immature most people on the net are (or how they act behind a keyboard) ffs guys just cause you have fast connectioons doesn't mean we all have and you live in your little own world if you think that. second that deal is crap and i will boycot episode 1 2 and 3 until they come out as a bundle (which i'm sure some time in the future will happen)

  • ZuluHero #45 5 years ago

    @ZeroAX

    Well judging from this bundle, you will be able to when EP3 comes out :p

    That means i'll have 3 copies of HL2, 3 copies of Ep1 and 2 copies of Ep2.

    Yeouch! :o

  • Artemus #46 5 years ago

    So I can re-buy games I've already got and then just GIVE them away. Cheers Valve. Nice way to treat the PC user base that has been supporting you for so long.

  • hyperkineticninja #47 5 years ago

    I notice EA were mentioned in this as people are probably worried if they are distributing it...I bet most on EG don't know they wouldnt have great games like Okami or God Hand in this country if it was for EA as EA distributed them just to name a couple.

  • hyperkineticninja #48 5 years ago

    I notice EA were mentioned in this as people are probably worried if they are distributing it...I bet most on EG don't know they wouldnt have great games like Okami or God Hand in this country if it was for EA as EA distributed them just to name a couple.

  • L0cky #49 5 years ago

    'If it makes you feel better you can archive yr steam files and draw a picture of gordon on the disc.'

    funny!

  • L0cky #50 5 years ago

    @kangarootoo: Stock Keeping Unit, warehouse speak for a specific product.

  • Darren #51 5 years ago

    I don't like Steam... I'd much rather have my games on a disc, professionally boxed and with a manual where possible... it not only gives me a sense of ownership, of having something of value, but it also gives me something you can lend to friends or trade in should I tire of it. I cannot do all that with digital downloads. And daft as it may sound, but downloading something I've paid for and then copying it to a blank DVD feels like one step away from piracy to me, even though it obviously isn't... :(

    Thus I shall be buying this game for the Xbox 360 or PS3 not the PC.

  • alexg #52 5 years ago

    One of the great things about Steam is that you can just click your HL2 or CounterStrike icon on the desktop and play the game without having to put the DVD in the disk drive.

    All PC games should be like this - in fact all games should be like this.

    The days of disk changing need to be left in the past.