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EVE Online heads to Valve's Steam platform
Icelandic dynamo EVE Online is going where no MMO has going before: Valve's Steam platform. CCP and Valve have banded together to offer the client (complete with Trinity II goodness) to Steam's 13 million users. To sweeten the deal, the pair are offering an exclusive 21-day trial period for the game, available only if you download via Steam. Folks who sign up for the game via the service will also receive a five dollar discount on their first month of pay service.The press release for the announcement makes much of the fact that EVE is the first on Steam, and in hindsight it does seem kind of strange that no other MMOG devs have signed up for something like this. With this announcement, I imagine we'll see other developers beginning to work their online magic via Valve's service. The most obvious draw would be World of Warcraft. After all, Valve and Blizzard are siblings, and have been since before the Activision merger!
Team Fortress 2 to get 'Badlands' map remake, medic tweaks
New changes are coming to Team Fortress 2. Speaking to Shack News, Valve's Robin Walker reconfirmed that two new maps will be coming in the next two months for the PC version, including a remake of the TF Classic map Badlands. Walker couldn't confirm if those maps would arrive on the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 versions of the game.Walker also said that modifications to the medic class are coming soon, possibly before the maps. Although unspecified, Walker said, "It's a large scale modification to the core of the game. It'll debut in a limited fashion through the Medic first, but it'll be affecting all classes eventually." Our guess? They're taking away the Medic's ability to heal - boy, would that change the game! But seriously, they'll probably just put a floating sign over medics that reads "shoot me first."[Image from BioWare's Halloween]
Rockstar games 10% off on Steam during launch
Rockstar's line of PC games are now available for download on Valve's Steam digital distribution service with an additional 10% off during this launch week. The whole Grand Theft Auto series is available, including Midnight Club II, Manhunt, Wild Metal Country and the Max Payne games. Oh Max, dearest of all our friends, we wish you'd come back. Almost every game except for GTA: San Andreas is under $10. Go ahead and gift a title to a gamer buddy you forgot this holiday season -- these actually are some great deals if you somehow missed any of these titles.
Steam's last-minute Christmas sale: 10-50% off everything
Valve's Steam service is having a last-minute holiday sale from today until January 1, with everything on the online store reportedly 10% to 50% off. While all they have to do is make one game 50% and the rest 10% to make that statement valid, there are some good deals going on. Highlights include: Orange Box - $37.45 (25% off) BioShock - $37.45 (25% off) S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - $22.45 (25% off) id Software Super Pack - $52.45 (25% off) Psychonauts - $9.95 (50% off) There are very few hours until Christmas. On this coast, most stores are closing down. Wouldn't be great if you could find the perfect gift for the ones you love? How about a downloadable copy of Psychonauts (no, we don't shut up about this game) for only $10? And while we're at it, you can afford to purchase Rag Doll Kung Fu ($13.45) and Bookworm Adventures ($17.95).
Valve enables 'Steam'y gift purchasing
Adding an option that is sure to never be used by grandma, Valve's Steam service now offers gift purchasing functionality. The concept is pretty simple -- once again, not for grandma -- a customer simply purchases a game off the Steam service and then has the option to gift it to someone else. The recipient of the gift receives an e-card which holds their hand (virtually) through the Steam download process.The Steam selection is expansive with possibly career-ending games like Kane & Lynch and the recently released Universe at War: Earth Assault available. Go ahead and poke around the Steam store, it might save you a trip to the mall -- maybe even save a forward-thinking grandma a trip to the mall.
More Half-Life games confirmed; nobody surprised
In perhaps an over-exaggeration of the term "world exclusive", StuffWeLike.com has revealed that Valve intends on continuing the Half-Life series after Half-Life 2: Episode Three. Big news, we know.When Stuff We Like asked Valve's Doug Lombardi about the possibility of a Half-Life 3, he responded that nothing has been announced, but that Half-Life "won't end at Episode Three." Originally, Stuff We Like reported this news as "OMG WORLD EXCLUSIVE HALF-LIFE 3 CONFIRMED" (we're paraphrasing, of course), but has since recanted, admitting that all this means is that the series will not conclude with the third piece of episodic content.We're curious to see whether Valve intends on continuing to release episodes connected to Half-Life 2, or whether they will in fact move forward with a third title in the series (episodic or otherwise). No release date has yet been confirmed for Episode Three.
Portal's plush companion cube puts a price on friendship
In case you missed it, Valve's online store now stocks a test subject's best and happily unsuspecting friend, the Weighted Companion Cube. Made of soft and sufficiently flammable polyester fiber, the demonically dimensioned (6" x 6" x 6") pal can be introduced to yourself or a "real" friend for $29.95. Unlike those irksome human mates you may or probably don't have, the companion cube will never complain when you hog all the cake or inevitably murder him.[Thanks, PeteyH]
Sega beefs up Steam offerings: Universe at War and more coming
Steam is the agoraphobic gamer's best friend: all the joy of video games, none of the hassle of venturing "outside" with "people" to acquire them. So it's with these folks in mind that we deliver the latest news from Valve's land of digital distribution: Sega is beefing up their offerings on Steam – currently limited to Medieval II and Rome: Total War – beginning with Sega Rally Revo and Sega Rally (both available now) to be followed with the rather high profile RTS Universe at War as well as the movie tie-in The Golden Compass next month.There's also some good news for our European friends: those previously available Sega titles are now also available in "Europe and most of the world." Oh, and you can look forward to Sega's Worldwide Soccer Manager and Futbol [sic] Manager if that sorta thing interests you. We'll probably stick with the alien invasion one.
Rumor: New achievements coming to older Valve games
Aside from, you know, things that will actually make your life any better, there's little more satisfying than achievements. Some of the Steam achievements from Orange Box were especially gratifying, like the one that required blasting a lawn gnome into space. Now, if some posters on Valve's official forums can be believed, achievements are going to be rolled out to some older games on the Steam service before year's end.Forum poster "slugz" (not his real name) says he received the following note from Valve staffer Erik Johnson in response to a fan letter: "We're planning on adding achievements to all of our games you touched on in your mail [Half-Life 2, Half-Life 2: Episode 1, Day of Defeat: Source and Counter-Strike: Source]. We're just now coming out of the post-shipping haze, so these should start showing up on Steam pretty quick here. We're also planning on adding a bunch more to TF2, starting with an achievement pack for the Medic in the next week or so." Another poster says they got a similar email later in the thread. We've emailed Valve for verification, but it certainly seems plausible enough. What achievements would you like to see in those Valve games?[Via CVG]
Bioshock and Enemy Territory on sale on Steam, 20% off
Maybe you're still hungover from a turkey overdose, or perhaps you have a completely rational fear of crowded malls on Black Friday, but if you weren't able to haul your keister out of the house to get your gaming deals (last minute stragglers: see our handy dandy Black Friday deals list here) then Valve's got your back. If you're looking for either BioShock or Quake Wars: Enemy Territory, you can nab them on Steam for an extra 20% off, placing these previously $50 games at a far more palatable $40 price point. And unlike those inconveniently short Black Friday sales, this one will be around until Monday morning at 10am so you've got some time to mull it over. Joytip: Best Buy has BioShock – and Orange Box – boxed for only $25 if you can get there in the next couple hours.
Official plush Weighted Companion Cube coming soon
Yes, yes, we know: "Too many posts about Portal", "We're sick of hearing about Portal", "All you ever talk about is Portal", but shut up for a second, because we have some more Portal news to share. It seems that Valve is answering our prayers and will soon be selling the oft-adored Weighted Companion Cube in huggable plush form.In addition to the larger stuffed version of our best friend, Valve is also working on a pair of smaller ones for hanging on rear-view mirrors. We're confused as to how there could be two Companion Cubes, but we'll just assume it's an illusion created by portals.No price, no release date, and no additional details accompany the announcement. But isn't the photo alone news enough?[Via Eurogamer]
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare deploys on Steam Nov. 12
If you're not keen to engage in the sort of modern warfare that comes from navigating shopping aisles during the holiday months, you now have the option of downloading Infinity Ward's latest thrill-a-minute first-person shooter, Call of Duty 4, from Steam. It amounts to roughly 360 thrills, excluding any thrills experienced during hectic multiplayer shootouts!Modern Warfare is already available for pre-purchase at $49.95 before its digitally distributed November 12 launch.
Speedball 2 Tournament hits Steam this November
The folks at Valve and Kylotonn Entertainment have sent word (actually, they sent multiple words annoyingly assembled into sentences, which made things difficult for us) that futuristic sports brawler Speedball 2 Tournament will be digitally distributed via Steam at the end of November. Those wary of siphoning data from the internets will also be able to find the game in stores, though the disc will still require authentication from Steam upon installation.Once you've gotten that out of the way, you'll be able to take part in the PC "revival" of The Bitmap Brothers' Amiga classic, complete with worldwide rankings, online matchmaking and "state-of-the-art-technology." The Speedball series was most recently revisited with Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe on Xbox Live Arcade.
Codemasters boards the Steam train
Venturing outside your home can be a hazardous experience. Helicopters plummeting from the sky, volcanoes spewing forth magma and flocks of flesh-eating toucans looking for their next meal all threaten to end your existence at any moment. None of these dangers compare to the human beings frequenting your local Gamestop, however, always attempting to ensnare you in pointless conversations about who would win in a fight between Sephiroth and Blinx the Cat. Valve and Codemasters understand that you want to avoid all that.Hence (via extremely long-winded and largely irrelevant opening paragraph)! The European publisher's games are now being digitally distributed on Valve's Steam platform. The critically acclaimed (also, panned) Jericho takes top billing, followed by evil minion sim Overlord and the superb racer Dirt. Future Codemasters titles such as Turning Point: Fall of Liberty will also be made available on Steam day and date with their retail release. Marvel at the convenience![Via press release]
Orange Box unlocking 'just after' midnight Wednesday
Sure, Valve's Orange Box releases this week, and many gamers might be heading down to the local big box, sitting in traffic, listening to some sports radio (nerd option: Zelda tunes, Halo soundtrack), dreading the march though the incandescently lit store to the game section only to find ... an empty slot where the object of your desire should be, but isn't! Fortunately, if you pre-loaded or purchased Orange Box on Steam, you won't have to worry about that scenario, get the game just after midnight on Wednesday, and save some gas to boot.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]
Steam Community officially launched
Valve has officially launched its Steam Community, a system akin to Xbox Live where you can check fellow player's stats, plan group events and access the community information from within any Steam game. Also available both in and out of game is voice chat.The service is free addition to Steam users. Tell us what you think of it in the never-ending comment space below.
The Soldier talks to the troops in Team Fortress 2 video
Hilarious and slightly disturbing, The Soldier video for Team Fortress 2, the game bundled with The Orange Box, makes us laugh in that uncomfortable way. Not cute like "The Heavy" video, this clip of The Soldier is just a little bit darker. Team Fortress 2 through brilliant marketing is really turning into the game we've become excited about in The Orange Box. Sure it'll probably be just another frag-fest that the average person won't stand a chance in, but it's oozing with dark charm.The Orange Box continues to be the value bundle of the year. With Half-Life 2, Episodes 1 and 2, Portal and Team Fortress 2 -- that's a lot of value in a little box, especially if you've never played Half-Life 2. We're definitely looking forward to seeing more of these clips, even if we don't think we'll stand a chance in an online match with the actual game.%Gallery-1634%
BioShock gets Steamed, also heading Direct2Drive
If you need to play BioShock at the absolute earliest time possible and have exhausted your other options (e.g. Toys 'R' Us, Joystiq, X3F), both Valve's Steam and IGN's Direct2Drive service are offering pre-sales for downloading the anticipated title.Although Direct2Drive is offering a $5 coupon to be used on a later purchase, they also write that you will be able "download and play BioShock on approximately August 21." If the word "approximately" scares you, Steam lays out their plan more directly: "pre-load now, purchase when ready, play as soon as the game is available."European gamers can pre-order BioShock via Direct2Drive here, due out "approximately August 24."Pre-order from SteamPre-order from Direct2Drive%Gallery-3725%
Id and Valve could have been violating GPL
After id Software released their catalog on Steam, some gamers on the Halflife2.net forums noticed a missing General Public License for DOSBox, an emulator used for playing older titles. Not including a GPL, which is a text file legally required to be included with the game to give due credit, violates the license and can lead to lawsuits.It appears, however, that subsequent downloads have fixed the problems, as either Valve or id has added the proper licenses. (Note the picture above, from the same forum thread, showing the licenses present in a recently-downloaded copy of HeXen.) This doesn't in either way affect the gameplay of the titles, but it is important to give credit for those who make your fragging possible in the first place. [Update: Clarified the wording as to the physical description of the GPL itself.][Via /.]
id Software library gets Steamed
The rumors are true: id Software titles are coming to Steam. According to a press release from Valve, starting today you will be able to download titles from the Quake, Doom, HeXen, Woflenstein and (huzzah!) Commander Keen series. More than 20 titles will be available; additionally, many of the franchises will be available as packages with a 10% discount for purchasing en masse. We've printed the full list after the break.
