Nov release indefinite, but hinted at by ebgames...

[Black Mesa corp]

I sent EBgames an email asking how could you be sure about the Nov release date for HL2 and received this interesting reply...

''EBgames.com works tirelessly with game publishers to ensure accurate
release dates on our site. Occasionally, publishers decide to delay
production to improve quality or add new features. Sometimes dates move
forward; more often they move back and frequently they get changed more
than once.

If a game is scheduled for release far in the future, the publisher may
not even give us a date. In those cases we rely on the collective wisdom
of our buying staff to estimate a date based on their knowledge of the
industry and the publisher's history.

We guarantee that we will always post the best information provided by
publishers. We know that you want that hot new game yesterday and we
want to be the company that gets it to you quicker than anyone else.''

This proves that they have not received comformation from Vivendi, but they reckon its the best estimate. Ummmmm...

 

[Chris D]

this is another fine example of why i dont post anything here......BECAUSE NO ONE CARES ABOUT THIS CRAP

Well if you'd like to carry on not posting comments like this then we're more than happy.

Sure, feel free to contribute, but what you've just said is hardly contributing or constructive is it?

Post deleted


Black Mesa corp: Thanks for taking the time out to get that information and post it. It's been the general understanding for a while that retailers must estimate their dates a lot of the time, but this confirms it for sure.

My advice to everyone is that you should be expecting the worst case scenario. That way if afterall it isn't released in September/October, you were prepared for it and won't be as disappointed.

 

[kaellinn18]

Is it just me or does that sound like a canned response to anyone else?

 

[Chris D]

Is it just me or does that sound like a canned response to anyone else?

Quite possibly, but at the end of the day, it confirms what we've all been speculating at for a while.

 

[kaellinn18]

Quite possibly, but at the end of the day, it confirms what we've all been speculating at for a while.

That EB doesn't know jack?

 

[KagePrototype]

That EB doesn't know jack?

Exactly. 3/4 of the time retailers are merely guessing the date, and the other 1/4 is when the publisher has already announced the release date to the public. Don't trust any date unless you hear it from Vivendi.

 

[Spaz_McNasty]

canned...because like i have seen in 1000s of posts....

"they dont know more then we do when it comes to when HL2 will come out"

i mean sure delete my post no big thing but...why would you email a place like that for info on something that they know nothing about?

 

[Alec_85]

Sometimes dates move forward; more often they move back and frequently they get changed more than once.

I don't get it. Does that mean that EB Games thinks it's more common for games to get release dates pushed backwards (aka released sooner than anticipicated) than for a game to get delayed. *Laughs in their faces*

Somehow I think backward means forward in this case...

 

[911error]

chis_d dont you have a job? like a real job? where do u find the time to babysit kids on a forum?

 

[iamaelephant]

Exactly. 3/4 of the time retailers are merely guessing the date, and the other 1/4 is when the publisher has already announced the release date to the public. Don't trust any date unless you hear it from Vivendi.

I'm sorry, but I refuse to believe that VU have absolutely no communication with retailers that are going to be selling their multi-million dollar project. I have never understood this "The retailers know nothing we don't know," stance. Just look at Doom 3. For all we know VU/Valve have already told retailers that the game is set for November, but the information is not available to the public.

 

[kaellinn18]

VU/Valve told everyone it was slated for Sept 2003. Until there is a gold announcement, believe nothing.

 

[Bait]

That EB doesn't know jack?

I've been saying that for months....and I didn't need an e-mail from some EB guy to prove it. They know as much as we do. I don't know what's so special about the "collective wisdom of our buying staff". If I were them, I'd keep my mouth shut, say a fall release, and hope Valve pulls through. Hell, that's all any of us can do right now anyways.

 

[Lanthanide]

If they had told the stores, how many is it now that are saying November? Like 10-20? Don't you think that we would be hearing from various staff from the companies that it is indeed true that Valve/Vivendi said November? So far we haven't heard anything from anyone that this is the case.

Most likely, 1 store just looked at the current info and thought "hmm, it looks like November to me" and everyone else copied.

 

[mattgirv]

If it is true, the information IS available to the public, we just won't believe it!

 

[Iconoclast]

EB doesn't know jack?

Maybe. But if anyone remembers a couple of years back they announced Warcraft 3 gold, Blizzard denied it, then the next day Blizzard announced War3 was gold.

I wouldn't be so quick to doubt them, to be honest. People seem eager to point out they know nothing more than us when, in fact, they probably do.

 

[KagePrototype]

I'm sorry, but I refuse to believe that VU have absolutely no communication with retailers that are going to be selling their multi-million dollar project. I have never understood this "The retailers know nothing we don't know," stance. Just look at Doom 3. For all we know VU/Valve have already told retailers that the game is set for November, but the information is not available to the public.

That's one game, out of what? Hundreds? I realise that sometimes they are right, but almost all the time they're just making an educated guess. So I reckon it's just best to assume that they're guessing, because most of the time they are.

 

[Gorgon]

I am confused, some companies are saying its going Gold next month, others are saying the release date is next month or November.

I don't understand the concept behind all this.

 

[crabcakes66]

We need a seperate forum just to archive all the threads on Retail release dates....


There must be hundreds...

 

[Rupertvdb]

Fair enough...only i am still confused by Valve preloading now if they are releasing it in November

 

[Night-Hawk[Qc]]

I'm so sick of people thinking they are smarter than everyone on this planet saying "They don't know anything more than we do". Well, news flash, they DO KNOW MORE about release dates then any of us HL2 forum whores. Face it, they sell games, they love money, and time is money. Publishers give retailers estimates that are as accurate as the developper can say. Because yes, developpers do have to give their status to their publisher no mather who it is. Game retailers get their dates based on what the publishers know. And now don't come and tell me "but how come vivendi said "no comment" when they were asked about release date so even VU doesnt know". Guess what, I'm sure VUG and EBgames share alot more information we don't have access to than anyone here can think of. Face it, the community is at the end of the ladder, we get information when they decide to give us information, after everyone at VUG and EBgames HQ knows it and yell "old news".

Yeah, that's what you get when you spent nights talking about gaming with an ex-ebgames administration employee.

 

[Asuka]

I sent EBgames an email asking how could you be sure about the Nov release date for HL2 and received this interesting reply...

''EBgames.com works tirelessly with game publishers to ensure accurate
release dates on our site. Occasionally, publishers decide to delay
production to improve quality or add new features. Sometimes dates move
forward; more often they move back and frequently they get changed more
than once.

If a game is scheduled for release far in the future, the publisher may
not even give us a date. In those cases we rely on the collective wisdom
of our buying staff to estimate a date based on their knowledge of the
industry and the publisher's history.

We guarantee that we will always post the best information provided by
publishers. We know that you want that hot new game yesterday and we
want to be the company that gets it to you quicker than anyone else.''

This proves that they have not received comformation from Vivendi, but they reckon its the best estimate. Ummmmm...

They always say that... :/

 

[Chris D]

chis_d dont you have a job? like a real job? where do u find the time to babysit kids on a forum?

I'm not here for about 8 hours during the day and 5-8 hours a day while I sleep.

The rest of the time, I'm on the computer anyway, or watching TV, or playing games.

 

[Chris D]

Fair enough...only i am still confused by Valve preloading now if they are releasing it in November

Because it probably won't go gold until mid-October.

 

[captnroger]

If anyone here thinks we'll see HL2 this month, I'd like whatever it is you are smoking.

November at best. Given what we've seen in the past 30 days, December or early next year isn't out of the question. Before you flame me, I want this game as much as anyone.

 

[iamaelephant]

Night-Hawk hit the nail on the proverbial head right there.

 

[johnnypoopoopant]

accutually i would like for the game to come around mid oct to early nov because i am building my comp and not finished yet

 

[Ecthe|ioN]

If anyone here thinks we'll see HL2 this month, I'd like whatever it is you are smoking.

November at best. Given what we've seen in the past 30 days, December or early next year isn't out of the question. Before you flame me, I want this game as much as anyone.

Agreed. I was hoping for a mid-october release a long time, but since we don't get any information from Valve what-so-ever, I'm going for a winter release. I don't really care if it takes a few more months for the game to be released, as long as it isn't delayed another year.

 

[FISKER_Q]

I'm sorry, but I refuse to believe that VU have absolutely no communication with retailers that are going to be selling their multi-million dollar project. I have never understood this "The retailers know nothing we don't know," stance. Just look at Doom 3. For all we know VU/Valve have already told retailers that the game is set for November, but the information is not available to the public.

They have communication, infact Half-Life 2 is(maybe was now) a 2005 title if you ask Vivendi.

But what can EB Games use that date for? "Sorry but it's out in 2005, but feel free to chip in some money for us, please"

Of course they'll do their own estimates. Unlike Valve they change it before shit hits the fan though.

 

[Black Mesa corp]

What my reply from EBgames concluded people, was that EBgames are not sure of the release date, so this means every store isnt sure... ok.

 

[affen]

Face it, the community is at the end of the ladder, we get information when they decide to give us information, after everyone at VUG and EBgames HQ knows it and yell "old news".

I agree, we'll be the last to know. But aren't that the rules of the game? So like Chrid_D said, assume the worst-case scenario and expect HL² for November.

 

[subtlesnake]

Exactly. 3/4 of the time retailers are merely guessing the date, and the other 1/4 is when the publisher has already announced the release date to the public. Don't trust any date unless you hear it from Vivendi.

No, don't trust any date unless you hear it from Valve. And even then don't trust it.

 

[skipper]

what would would nice if they said tomorrow that its the final preload and its gone gold that would be nice, then the release could come but i dout it but they might suprise us all

 

[KagePrototype]

No, don't trust any date unless you hear it from Valve. And even then don't trust it.

It makes more sense to trust a date from the publisher, who decides this sort of thing, rather than Valve.

 

[EVIL]

gheh, onushi bakayarou!

 

[subtlesnake]

Well, we don't know how well Valve keep in contact. November may be a 'blanket' release date, or an attempt at damage control like the previous May 2003 date was.

 

[EVIL]

Sure vivendi has a big finger in the brew, but valve has the final word. If it isnt done, it isnt done ... vivendi can do all they want, its valve's decision.

 

[Yombi]

Sure vivendi has a big finger in the brew, but valve has the final word. If it isnt done, it isnt done ... vivendi can do all they want, its valve's decision.

once the games been done and passed on to VU, its there choice when to release it.

 

[EVIL]

I wouldn't be so sure about that, it needs to be released at the same time as the version on steam, and vivendi has no controll at all on steam.

 

[Yombi]

*sigh* we dont actually know....and VU may be getting a cut of the pie from steam.

Im sure VALVe dont want to step on VU's toes to much since they do control how most people will be buying the game, from a store.

 

[irishbloke]

My advice to everyone is that you should be expecting the worst case scenario. That way if afterall it isn't released in September/October, you were prepared for it and won't be as disappointed.

Yer your right. I say november i remember the dissapointment of last year as i waited for it to come out only for it to completely dissapear and then the hacker inccident. Arf.

At least Doom3 and Farcry are out. :thumbs: