Orange Box unlocking 'just after' midnight Wednesday
by Dan Dormer 
{ Oct 8th 2007 at 2:56PM }
Valve has announced they'll be unlocking Orange Box "just after midnight Pacific time ... on October 10th," giving Steam purchasers the chance enjoy some release (late) night gaming. That means you might be stumbling into work as a raccoon-eyed, sleep deprived zombie, but hey, you were the MVP in TFC2! Totally worth it.
[Via ars technica]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
NATO_Duke @ Oct 8th 2007 3:00PM
Well, thats good news I guess.
Jeff @ Oct 8th 2007 3:01PM
Are they gonna release demos for any of this, or is everyone but me just completely sold that these will be awesome?
I never got into half-life, so I'd want try out TF2. When they put out the graphical update for HL2 I might give it another shot.
Egster @ Oct 8th 2007 3:08PM
Even without graphical updates HL2 looks good enough to compete with most recently released games.
Jeff @ Oct 8th 2007 3:48PM
I own it, and have played it, and disagree.
I despise the source engine.
Poisoned Al @ Oct 8th 2007 5:54PM
Source runs Team Fortress 2. I think TF2 is one of the best looking games of the year. Yes, even better then Bioshock (Rapture looks gorgeous, but the character models are a bit poo). Therefore I think you are an idiot. QED.
HineyWipe @ Oct 8th 2007 3:06PM
I'd rather unlock a Pink box.
FOXHOUND @ Oct 8th 2007 3:07PM
You should. It's the best version of PORTAL yet. Warm like apple pie.
Problem is, you can't turn off voice chat on them. ;D
Egster @ Oct 8th 2007 3:07PM
Pacific time? That means thursday morning for me.
Saq @ Oct 8th 2007 3:44PM
"just after midnight on Wednesday" would be wednesday morning technically :P
Poisoned Al @ Oct 8th 2007 5:45PM
Yeah, I'll have to wait till 8am! Shakes fist!
copa @ Oct 8th 2007 3:21PM
Dan, fyi, there's no such thing as TFC2. The game is Team Fortress 2.
Einhanderkiller @ Oct 8th 2007 7:16PM
Yes.
There's Team Fortress (Quake mod), Team Fortress Classic (GoldSrc game), and Team Fortress 2 (Source game).
Taco_Hell @ Oct 8th 2007 3:22PM
Pacific Time...3 AM.....Time to buy a giant case of BAWLS to wait it out then.
FOXHOUND @ Oct 8th 2007 3:27PM
I thought they stopped selling Bawls when they found a badly contaiminated bottle around summer'06... ah well, if Jack-in-the-Box can recover, anyone can.
jason @ Oct 8th 2007 3:25PM
RRRIIIIIGGGHHHHHTTTTT!!!
GRANTED @ Oct 8th 2007 3:25PM
i cant wait until this is out on ps3. been dying to play hl2 AND tf2. this will be the easiest decision of the year.
E.D. @ Oct 8th 2007 3:52PM
Right so "Midnight on Wednesday" is Wednesday morning, or Thursday morning?
glitched @ Oct 8th 2007 4:17PM
"just after midnight Pacific time ... on October 10th,"
I think that means 12:01am on october 10th. So we can play it ON wednesday
Ben @ Oct 8th 2007 4:11PM
I want to see more of the "Meet the..." videos. Are they going to release any more of those?
Blazur @ Oct 8th 2007 5:30PM
We're expecting the demoman to make an appearance soon. I really enjoy these videos too...the engineer one is great!
Tyler @ Oct 8th 2007 4:16PM
So the game still comes out at retail tomorrow though, right?
Taco_Hell @ Oct 8th 2007 4:54PM
No, retailers will have it on the 10th.
Tyler @ Oct 8th 2007 5:13PM
Well, crap. Just about everyone and their mom has it listed as the 9th, but I guess Valve just forgot to update them?
Poisoned Al @ Oct 8th 2007 5:46PM
Don't worry, I had the 9th too.
JimJimBinks @ Oct 8th 2007 4:20PM
Since I opted for the ATI HD2900XT when I upgraded my computer, HL2 Episode 2, Portal, and TF2 are all free for me. The problem being, most of my friends own 360s.
I might end up buying this on the 360, plus getting it free off Steam. I'm pretty much a whore for anything released by Valve.
Masque @ Oct 8th 2007 4:25PM
So, hold the phone. The release date for the 360 version is also the 10th? Not the previously-mentioned 9th? That is to say, not tonight but tomorrow night? Yipes!
brandon @ Oct 8th 2007 4:26PM
I despise Valve for not releasing the Black Box. Honestly, rebuy games we already have and give away the codes? I won't be picking these games up unless Valve finally gets some sense and decides not to screw existing customers over.
Taco_Hell @ Oct 8th 2007 4:57PM
Brandon, I know how you feel. But honestly, the Black Box would probably would have been 40 bucks, just a ten dollar difference if you don't pre-purchase it, because if you do like I did, its just a 5 dollar difference. So I rather just suck it up and pay 45 bucks, rather than 60 bucks.
Poisoned Al @ Oct 8th 2007 5:49PM
It wasn't Valve's idea. Bricks and mortar stores didn't want two different cases taking up shelf space, so they were forced into releasing one box, not two.
That's their excuse anyway.
brandon @ Oct 8th 2007 7:09PM
OK, I see what you mean. I don't necessarily mean the Black Box in a retail package, but as a steam package. As it is, to buy HL2 Episode 2 is $30, Portal is $20, and Team Fortress 2 is $30. That's a grand total of $80 compared to the Orange Box which is $50. That's overpaying by $30 plus losing out on two games. Half-Life 2 is $20 and HL2 Episode 1 is $10. So if we subtract that from $50, $30 would be essentially what Orange Box buyers are paying for the rest of the stuff. Can't we just get a package on Steam with the new games for $30? It wouldn't cost them anything as far as retail boxes, discs, shipping, and other expenses, so the only reason they are holding out is for more money.
Sorry, that was long, but Valve is really screwing its customers in my opinion.
brandon @ Oct 8th 2007 7:13PM
Ah, I did bad subtraction there. $50 for the Orange Box minus $20 for HL2 and $10 for HL2:E1 actually comes out to $20 for the other three games. Even $30 would be a deal I'd bite at, even knowing I'm paying $10 over.
Einhanderkiller @ Oct 8th 2007 7:25PM
brandon, Valve spent millions of dollars and years of development time to make Episode Two, Portal, and Team Fortress 2. If you were Valve, would you sell those three games for $30? No, as you'd lose out on a ton of money. Valve already gives its users tons of free things like Steam Community and Lost Coast and gives its customers long-term support for their products. Just buy The Orange Box for $50, or for $38 from Circuit City. Valve is one of the most talented development studios in the industry. You should support them, rather than whining about how the price is $10 higher than what is previously was. It's still an incredible package, even if you do already have HL2 and Episode One.
Einhanderkiller @ Oct 8th 2007 7:29PM
.
brandon @ Oct 8th 2007 7:55PM
I'm sorry Einhanderkiller, did I ask you? And it's not $10 more. It's a difference of $30 between the Orange and all seperate. Plus $30 of my $50 goes to games I already own. It's the customer's right to have his own opinions and decide whether or not to purchase, so how about you let me voice my opinion the same as everyone else gets to.
Taco_Hell @ Oct 8th 2007 8:33PM
Actually Brendon, HL2 is $30, episode 1 is $20, episode 2 is $30, TF2 is $30 and Portal is $20. So if you were to take out HL2 and episode 1 for their full prise in the orange box like your doing. Your basically paying nothing for the other 3 games...which doesn't make much sense...
brandon @ Oct 8th 2007 9:17PM
I'm not sure where you found your prices, and I don't mean to sound accusatory here, but on steampowered.com HL2 is $20, and Episode 1 is $10, both showing a recent price cut. I just double checked. Anyway, the exact price doesn't matter, but I thought I'd cite where I got all my prices from.
Taco_Hell @ Oct 8th 2007 9:29PM
Well, I got my prices from Steam so...
Sihylm @ Oct 9th 2007 12:47PM
Prices for Orange Box games are as follows:
Halife Life 2: $29.95
Half Life 2 Episode 1: $19.95
Half Life 2 Episode 2: $29.95
Team Fortress 2: $29.95
Portal: $19.95
Total price: $129.75
Package Price: $49.95 or if you were smart and bought the $44.95
Ok that's straight from Steam.
Now lets look at it like this, say you already have Half life 2 and episode 1, thats taking away $50ish off of the total price giving you $79.80 or so.
You're still saving almost $30 on what ValvE should and, if they were a lesser company WOULD charge you just for the new games.
Don't whine about it, accept that fact that what 'could be legitimatly be called the deal of the century' is there (especially for UK gamers, who get charged DOUBLE on games) and is very high quality.
In all seriousness, I would have expected to pay $50 for just Team Fortress 2.
Cletus @ Oct 8th 2007 4:27PM
Wait...according to gamestop.com it supposed to be on the ninth. When did it get changed to the 10th?
Cletus @ Oct 8th 2007 4:45PM
Oh what the hell? Gamestop.com just changed it to 10/10.
SGT Grumbles @ Oct 8th 2007 5:11PM
Wait, doesn't that mean it basically comes out on the 11th?
Psaakyrn @ Oct 8th 2007 5:35PM
No, it comes out just after 9th is over. Making it 10th.
Scott @ Oct 8th 2007 5:41PM
Wait Circuit City says tomorrow. It even says so in the Sunday ad.
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/The-Orange-Box-PC-014633098525/sem/rpsm/oid/194703/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do
pr_master @ Oct 8th 2007 5:55PM
You could get the retail version today but still wont
be able to unlock it until "just after midnight Pacific time ... on October 10th," Get it?
Arturo @ Oct 8th 2007 5:55PM
IT SHIPS THE 9TH and will be in stores the 10th.
And lucky for me I didn't start playing hl2 until orange box was already announced so i only own hl2 and not the episodes so I don't mind giving the code away. Everyone and their mom has hl2 already so I might try and get my gf to play it...lol
OTAM @ Oct 8th 2007 6:00PM
These release dates are really getting irritating anymore. As far as I can remember being alive and buy video games they ALWAYS came out on a Tuesday with the new CDs and DVDs. Why all of a sudden this gen has it been changed to Wednesdays? Ughhh.
Psaakyrn @ Oct 8th 2007 6:05PM
IMHO games should come out on Friday night-Saturday night, so people have 1 day to play before they need to get back to work.
Werbal @ Oct 8th 2007 7:13PM
Not everyone has the weekends off. This is perfect for me because my "weekend" is Wednesday and Thursday.
Two straight days of Portal! It would be two straight days of TF2, but myself and all the other cool kids have been busy with the TF2 Beta for the past two weeks now. PCs FTW!
Psaakyrn @ Oct 8th 2007 8:17PM
Yes, not everyone, but the majority does. Just like how not everyone has "American nights" off but oceanic people still have to deal with Tuesday night WoW maintanence.
Mojo @ Oct 9th 2007 10:01AM
Ah, I'm so friggin' torn by this. I'd much rather have the PC version, but if there's any chance of playing it with my buddies, it would be on the 360. What do you guys think? Is it worth shunning my friends (and in-laws) for that extra yummy PC juiciness?