HL2: Episode Two delayed till 2007
by Ludwig Kietzmann 
{ Aug 24th 2006 at 3:55PM }
Valve Software has been one of the main proponents in the push for episodic gaming, a fact which quickly comes to mind in light of Half-Life 2: Episode Two getting its own push into the future. Releasing Half-Life 2 expansion episodes in lieu of Half-Life 3 was supposed to curb development time, something which Valve is always struggling to keep on a leash before it wrecks the office and eats all the calendars. Alas, it has run amok once again, causing Episode Two to slip to February 2007. In other words, the release gap between the first and second "episodes" has now grown to 8 months. Valve's Doug Lombardi tells Eurogamer that the delay is simply "classic Valve being overly aggressive on our dates" and that the title will likely end up being a "little longer" than the first title. A further point of consideration is that Episode Two is being developed in conjunction with several other included games (Portal, Team Fortress 2) and console versions.
Lombardi also states that the extra games will result in a slightly higher price than that of the single Episode One release ($19.99), with the all-inclusive console releases expected to retail at full price. With any luck, this will be the last delay in store for Valve's upcoming release -- otherwise, we'll have to start questioning just how far the word "episodic" can stretch.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Will K @ Aug 24th 2006 4:00PM
first post!!!!
Anyways, I just want HL2 for 360...and not using backwards compatibility.
silverSurfer84 @ Aug 24th 2006 4:05PM
Booooo! 1 episode every 8 months? To be a truly episodic game I think there should be releases every month (2 months at the most and I dont think theyll ever get episodic games to come weekly like TV)
Additionally,Ep1 was so short. It was good but was a bit underwhelming especially considering I paid 19.99 HL2.
HL2 @ $20 = super extreme bang for your buck.
Ep1 @ $20? Not so much bang.
And is Half Life 3 even in development? Or do they start that after the 3 episodes are finished?
JimmyHACK @ Aug 24th 2006 4:15PM
kinda not too suprised being valve and all with their good release date accuracies...
it is better than years and years so hey something good and new, worth the wait
suicidesnowman @ Aug 24th 2006 4:16PM
Valve should either: a) hire more developers, thusly curbing development time. or b) initiate the 32 hour workday.
I've already got HL2 on pc (but that's at home), and my laptop won't run it. So I'll probably wait until I can get the super-combo HL2, EP1, EP2, TF2 and Portals for 360 in 2XXX (whenever they manage to get that one out). Christ, even at $60, that's a helluva deal.
Derbeste @ Aug 24th 2006 4:21PM
I love it. I really can't help and chuckle.
Half-Life 2 now: $20
Half-Life 2 Episode 1: $20
Half-life 2 Episode 2: $22
Half life 2 Episode 3: $30
Total price of Half-Life 2: $92
Price of Half-Life 2 "complete" set 2 years from now: $70
The price of the "incomplete" Half-Life 2 we bought 2 years ago: $60 ($10 less then the whole "complete" pack)
Realizing you just got scammed: Priceless.
There are some things money can't buy. A complete game at release.....isn't one of them.
yomato @ Aug 24th 2006 4:21PM
No to be a truly episodic game, a new mission should be released every week. They would only be like $2 and they could be automaticly downloaded of steam. Kinda like an album of Itunes.
copa @ Aug 24th 2006 4:22PM
You know what? It is what it is. Valve delivers extraoardinary quality in their products, and they have a proven development process that isn't able to accurately project delivery dates. I have no problem letting that process extend to whenever the product is ready.
Once I saw everything that was going into Ep2, I had already decided this wasn't making Christmas. Guess what? It probably won't be ready by February either, at least on the consoles. I've been dying for TF2 for six years, but I want them to take their time to make it as fun as the original.
copa @ Aug 24th 2006 4:26PM
"Valve should either: a) hire more developers, thusly curbing development time. or b) initiate the 32 hour workday."
Clearly you have zero experience in software development. More specifically, you are an executive at Electronic Arts.
therpham @ Aug 24th 2006 4:27PM
How disappointing. I felt deep down that this would happen someday. I was just hoping it wouldn't be hot on the heels of that sexy new footage we got yesterday. It makes the wait even more painful.
Plus, I'm probably going to have to break down and buy Ep1 before that comes out instead of holding out for a possible package deal.
Simon @ Aug 24th 2006 4:33PM
In all honesty, I'm not fussed about the price or release dates on these episodes. I've enjoyed all of Valves work so far, and I have no doubt that these new episodes will be just as fun to play. If anything, additional development time will equate to a better game.
Bombsy @ Aug 24th 2006 4:40PM
While I don't mind the delay at all, I'm hoping that the "slightly" in "slightly higher price" actually does mean that. I just somehow doubt it, what with it including not one, but two other games with Episode Two.
I'm guessing $29.99 or $39.99.
Andrew Yoon @ Aug 24th 2006 4:47PM
It's expected. It's Valve.
RE: "Valve should either: a) hire more developers, thusly curbing development time. or b) initiate the 32 hour workday."
Valve can't have a 32 hour workday... they're not EA!!! WAIT A SECOND...
bounchfx @ Aug 24th 2006 4:48PM
this saddens me. i want tf2 and ep2 now.(and portal!)
derbeste, I can't help but disagree with everything you've said.
Half life 2, by itself, is a full and amazing game. Easily worth 60$ if it wasn't 20 now. the episodes, on the other hand, are other games in itself, or as valve put it, instead of making hl3 they are doing these. so instead of considering HL2 + episodes one game by adding the prices up (which would be totally worth it either way), consider HL2..hl2.. and the episodes (all together) as half life 3. basically the normal price games cost nowadays anyway. unless you consider hl2 the "same game" as hl1 and add the price to that too. and every expansion to any game ever, so the sims would cost 420000$ and same for a lot of other games.
and sorry, but when you compare Half life 2 to just about any other game you get for 40-60 dollars these days it just outperforms it in value and every other way imagineable.
realizing your opinion is crap*: Priceless
*(note this is an opinion ;P)
Jackal @ Aug 24th 2006 4:49PM
HULK SMASH! Vavle makes me soo mad with this delay. Why not just delay TF2 and Portal and leave HL2 Epidode 2 come out this winter? It could still be one price with TF2 and Portal being dowloaded at a later date.
silverSurfer84 @ Aug 24th 2006 4:49PM
Well I think the Ep2 package at $40 is fair. You got a full fledged game of TF2 and also Ep2. Portal seems like an interesting tech demo and I consider it as simply a bonus. I think Ill grow tired of it very quickly. Reminds me somewhat of that gun in Unreal that I am currently forgetting the name of.
James @ Aug 24th 2006 4:51PM
Aw, too bad. I'm really looking forward to the 360 package that they're putting out.
Jason @ Aug 24th 2006 4:56PM
Good. I won't be distracted playing this game right before the finals, but rather after. It's worth the wait. =p
Wow @ Aug 24th 2006 5:00PM
"Valve should either: a) hire more developers, thusly curbing development time. or b) initiate the 32 hour workday."
More developers Faster development time
Derbeste @ Aug 24th 2006 5:41PM
"More developers Faster development time"
This is not necessarily true. More programmers can actually INCREASE development time depending on problem with communication. Every programmer has a different style.
I love this saying that addresses the myth that throwing more people at something is always the answer:
9 women cannot make a baby in 1 month.
Retro_X @ Aug 24th 2006 5:44PM
Some of you guys obviously have no idea how much time developement takes, how the hell can you expect a new Episode every month? Or even every week? TV shows != video games.
Yes it's a shame it's been pushed back to 2007, but I'd rather wait and get one hell of a product than get it tomorrow and dislike it. I have faith in VALVe to bring us one hell of a gaming experience!
Even though Ep1 was shorter than HL2, it was sure as hell packed with a lot more action and fun than HL2.
foamcup @ Aug 24th 2006 6:35PM
Yeah, the whole blacked-out tunnel section was freaking awesome, except for Alyx and her dumb jokes. EP2 will be worth the wait.
suicidesnowman @ Aug 24th 2006 7:04PM
Awesome, I got 2 anti-EA comments off of my first post!
While I trust that Valve will bring an exceptional release (as there current standard is) with EP2, I just get aggrivated upon delays. They've been doing this for years. I wish they'd just take the id stance and use the phrase "When it's done.."
@Derbeste
"9 women cannot make a baby in 1 month" That's flawed logic right there when compared to developing games. In that case, it would take 1 EA developer 50 years you create one season of madden. And we know that's against EA policy.
Making games isn't making people. Others can help.
There should be some industry wide policy that says you can't show a game until 6 months from completion. That way the hype machine doesn't build (or die) for a decade like if has DNF. There should be some standards, you know.
I'm looking in Sony's direction now. Lying bastards.
Blackie @ Aug 24th 2006 8:02PM
Episodic Content is never gonna take off if developers continue to take this long on episodes.
Pedro @ Aug 24th 2006 9:46PM
suicidesnowman:
The problem with waiting to announce until 6 months before you're done is that most companies can't be really sure when that is, exactly. Plus, they have all sorts of business pressures pushing them to lay claim to a certain goal, no matter how close to reaching it they might be.
Geoffrey Newlands @ Aug 25th 2006 6:24AM
@Derbeste
You do realise Half-life 2 and the half-life 2 episode trilogy are two seperate games in their own right?
So lets break it down AGAIN shall we?
HL2 + CSS = $60 - $70 at launch.
E1 + E2 + Portal + Team Fortress2 + E3 + ??? = Around $70 - 80 at their launch prices.
So if you don't think it's worth it, don't buy it.
Finally, remember when E2 launches next year (groan) it will be simultaneously released on the 360 and ps3 along with E1, HL2 and Portal and TF2 (which in my opinion is the main cause for the delay) at a price of about $70. Unbelievable value for console players. QED
Hopefully the next episodic trilogy (here's to alien worlds and the portal gun!) will be more streamlined, by then they'll have come to grips with Ps3 architecture and it should be.
Guest @ Aug 25th 2006 4:35PM
10 letters.
WAAAAAAAAH.
Mr, Objectional @ Aug 27th 2006 10:37PM
To truly capture the episodic feel people are imagining (the "Tune in Next Week" type of feel), they would need to release one of the chapters in the episode a la a Television show. It might only be half an hour, but it the idea is that they would develop it in turns, like the show 24.
The first twelve episodes would be set when they release the first, and then they would use that feedback for the last 12 episodes. At about 2 a month, they could keep everyone satisfied the entire year. Take another 12 months off to make the first half of the next epsisode, and voila!
Tim @ Sep 1st 2006 5:51PM
Good, this gives people several people months to become engrossed with Fortress-Forever, which will clearly emerge as being better than TF2
Sorry to break it to you valve.