View Full Version : ATI's $8.0 Million Dollar Half-Life 2 Deal
Evil Avatar
07-06-2005, 07:16 PM
The Inquirer has posted word (http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=24422) on what ATI paid for the failed Half-Life 2 / ATI bundle which left many gamers stuck with Radeon 9800 cards that were outdated by the time Half-Life 2 was actually released.
ATI gave Valve $2.4 million in cash for the deal. ATI also invested $1.2 million in marketing this great game. And last, but not least, was a cool $4.4 million that ATI and its partners spent for bundles.
That amounts to some $8 million dollars. This is a lot of money, I can agree, but ATI never sold so many mainstream and high end cards in its long history as when it bundled them with the justly famous voucher. It sold an incredible lot of 9800XT and 9600XT cards just because of the nice voucher. That small piece of paper convinced many people to go out and buy ATI card.Let this be a lesson to gamers... never upgrade for just one game or you could get hosed the way ATI's customers got screwed.
51|RandoM
07-06-2005, 07:23 PM
...or wait till the game is actually out, then upgrade for it, duh.
Tyrant
07-06-2005, 07:23 PM
OH NOES!
I can't run HL2 at 60fps at full detail on 1600 x 1200 res!
Heretic Machine
07-06-2005, 07:25 PM
I can run ANY game on the market at 1280x1040 with fairly high settings on my Radeon 9700. Calling a 9800 outdated just makes you sound like a jack-ass. Not you Evil, but the people who wrote the article.
Evil Avatar
07-06-2005, 07:26 PM
OH NOES!
I can't run HL2 at 60fps at full detail on 1600 x 1200 res!
I can. BFG GeForce FX 6800 GT OC. $399.00 from Outpost.com.
Evil Avatar
07-06-2005, 07:28 PM
I can run ANY game on the market at 1280x1040 with fairly high settings on my Radeon 9700. Calling a 9800 outdated just makes you sound like a jack-ass. Not you Evil, but the people who wrote the article.
Feel free to call me a jackass. I do feel that the 9700 and 9800 cards were outdated when Half-Life 2 came out.
Now, you could say that is because the system requirements of HL2 were so steep, but no matter how you look at it, people who purchased those cards ended up with cards that were pretty well below what I personally would call the "minimum" system requirements.
Draft
07-06-2005, 07:55 PM
They weren't outdated, but they sure as hell weren't cutting edge. The 9800XT was a big waste of silicon anyway. Yes ATI, please sell me an overclocked 9800 Pro with a $100 heatsink attached :|
Paranoia
07-06-2005, 07:57 PM
Feel free to call me a jackass. I do feel that the 9700 and 9800 cards were outdated when Half-Life 2 came out.
Now, you could say that is because the system requirements of HL2 were so steep, but no matter how you look at it, people who purchased those cards ended up with cards that were pretty well below what I personally would call the "minimum" system requirements.
I guess such statement will only add fuel to the fire on debate between PC and Console gaming.
TrackZero
07-06-2005, 08:05 PM
Heh, I got my 9600XT and this deal. I have no regrets, my card had treated me fine so far and it's the first time I didn't spend ~$500 on a video card. Plus I got Half-Life 2 for free.
How exactly is this a failed bundle if ATI did well in the market?
Vulpes
07-06-2005, 08:33 PM
I play HL2 at 1280x1024 with all of the graphical details turned up to maximum, and it runs just fine on my 9600XT. I don't regret a thing.
Leaving Hope
07-06-2005, 08:36 PM
Heh, I got my 9600XT and this deal. I have no regrets, my card had treated me fine so far and it's the first time I didn't spend ~$500 on a video card. Plus I got Half-Life 2 for free.
Same here, TrackZero. I was looking for a new ~$200 video card at the time, and the Half Life 2 bundle definitely sweetened the deal. I'd always been an NVidia fan, since I felt--and still feel--that they have excellent drivers, but the HL2 bundle made me take the chance with the ATI 9600XT.
It is by no means a superior card, especially these days, but I don't have any complaints either. As far as I'm concerned, Half Life 2 and Counter Strike: Source were a very nice, free bonus.
It wasn't fun waiting for the game to come out, but I'm sure it was much worse for the people who preordered the game and actually paid for it.
I'll probably go NVidia this time around, however.
From ATI's point of view, I can certainly see why they'd be less than pleased with Valve since it took so long to reach the market. Someone, somewhere promised a release date that wasn't realistic. ATI banked on HL2 being ready with the XT line, and it wasn't.
But, I'd only consider this HL2 bundle deal a failure if it resulted in a financial loss for ATI or if it led to massive customer dissatisfaction. As far as I can tell from my personal experiences, and the few posts I've read here, most people were pretty satisfied.
Pumped'Up
07-06-2005, 08:57 PM
funny thing is, the 9800Pro hugely out performed the equivalently priced GeForce in FarCry and HL2 at both titles' launch.
This article is full of bullshit...obviously written by nvidiots.
Chris_D
07-06-2005, 09:06 PM
9600xt works great for HL2 over here as well. Although I didn't buy it as part of the bundle doh :).
Adam Blue
07-06-2005, 09:13 PM
I got the 9800 pro 256, and I have no need to upgrade yet. HL2 runs great, so as far as I'm concerned the cards should not be considered outdated.
mkelehan
07-06-2005, 09:23 PM
Being a console gamer saves you a lot of money when you play the odd PC game. If I get 640x480 with 30fps, I'm fully satisfied.
When Half Life 2 first came out, there wasn't anything significantly better ou than the 9800 I have in my system now (at least from what I can remember). I don't think the X800 and 6800 were out at that point. So, the top of the line option was a marginally more powerful 9800XT, which was just an overclocked 9800 anyway.
ElPresidente
07-06-2005, 10:21 PM
The X800 and 6800 most certainly were out when Half-Life 2 hit stands.
Hell those cards were out before Doom 3 hit stands too. I know because I played both games on my X800 XT PE. :P
I guess I stand corrected.
Either way, Half Life 2 played really well on my 9800.
Chris_D
07-06-2005, 11:06 PM
Btw there was a recent steam survey showing that something like 90+ % of ATI users were running 9600/9800 class cards. (if someone has the link handy then please throw it up). So obviously a lot of people are quite content with that level of performance.
serion
07-06-2005, 11:08 PM
Feel free to call me a jackass. I do feel that the 9700 and 9800 cards were outdated when Half-Life 2 came out.
Now, you could say that is because the system requirements of HL2 were so steep, but no matter how you look at it, people who purchased those cards ended up with cards that were pretty well below what I personally would call the "minimum" system requirements.
The HL2 demo ran fine on my geforce 2 64 meg card. Calling a card that is only a year or two old obsolete or outdated only reinforces the idea that PC gamers are elitist bitches, a stubborn few that can afford to shell out 500 bucks a year for the newest top of the line card.
Beelzebud
07-06-2005, 11:24 PM
Ok, for the record.
I have a Radeon 9600XT. I got it almost a year before Half Life 2 was released. Half Life 2, CS: Source, and HL2: DM all run at around 50 to 80fps no matter what.
I don't know what the big deal is, but performance was never a problem with half life 2 and this card. And it was the low-end XT model...
Varsity
07-07-2005, 12:27 AM
Now, you could say that is because the system requirements of HL2 were so steep
What's wrong with you today? You run a popular news site, at least try to keep some integrity!
Feel free to call me a jackass. I do feel that the 9700 and 9800 cards were outdated when Half-Life 2 came out.
Now, you could say that is because the system requirements of HL2 were so steep, but no matter how you look at it, people who purchased those cards ended up with cards that were pretty well below what I personally would call the "minimum" system requirements.
http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/counter-strike_source_midrange/page7.asp
Just have a look at those numbers and then tell me what exactly runs below the "minimum" system requirements there. And it's not even from the final release version, which is even more polished and tweaked than the beta.
Q.E.eff'ing.D
Goronmon
07-07-2005, 05:32 AM
9800Pro outdated at the release of HL2? Bullshit. If the card can run BF2 fairly well, was definately not outdated when HL2 was released.
I bought the 9800 Pro even before they had that deal with the rebate and I still was more thatn satisfied with the performance I got out of HL2. Could I run everything maxed at 60fps? Of course not, but I never could have afforded a system capable of doing so.
On one side of the fence you have people complaining about having to spend over $100 on a video card every 3 years, then you have the other side spewing crap like this.
StoneGut
07-07-2005, 05:38 AM
I didn't purchase my copy of HL2 through Steam but did pick up (download) Counter Strike: CZ through the service. I have no problem knowning that my hard earned cash went directly to the makers of my purchase and not bits and pieces going trickling down the retail chain.
I'm using a 9600 and have NO PROBLEMS running HL2 on its highest settings on a great resolution but I'll be upgrading within the next 6 months for the HDR Lost Coast episode and other great games coming out.
It seems to me that ATI did a good job with promoting the release of this great game and made a wise business decision with the bundle opurtunity. Because of Steam they could buy in one the limitless hype that surrounded Half Life 2 and cashed in on it greatly.
Ernst_Jager
07-07-2005, 06:04 AM
I got the same bundle and have no regrets. I ended up with a good card that still serves me pretty well (9600 xt) and Half-life 2 for free. Win/Win situation for me. I would like to see how much Nvidia pays to have so many games with the little 'Nvidia the way it is meant to be played' thingy.
SaintArnold
07-07-2005, 08:01 AM
I can run ANY game on the market at 1280x1040 with fairly high settings on my Radeon 9700. Calling a 9800 outdated just makes you sound like a jack-ass. Not you Evil, but the people who wrote the article.
Maybe you should RTFA?
roboninja
07-07-2005, 09:00 AM
I agree, using the terms "outdated" and the customers being "screwed" is way too harsh. I run HL2 on my Radeon 9500 Pro, with only an Athlon XP 1700+, and I get good performance, and enough eye candy to keep me happy. Like people have stated here, ATI sold a lot, and most customers have no regrets buying their card, I do not see where the problem is.
Testcase
07-07-2005, 10:28 AM
I can. BFG GeForce FX 6800 GT OC. $399.00 from Outpost.com.
Well, there you go. He's proud of dropping 4 bills on a video card. Me? I'd rather spend it on lapdances....
Kyle Jones
07-07-2005, 10:55 AM
Feel free to call me a jackass. I do feel that the 9700 and 9800 cards were outdated when Half-Life 2 came out.
Now, you could say that is because the system requirements of HL2 were so steep, but no matter how you look at it, people who purchased those cards ended up with cards that were pretty well below what I personally would call the "minimum" system requirements.
Ah! My internet penis is a gigantic monster! AWESOME!
Seriously though, I loves you EA. Why don't you return my calls?
Melvin556
07-07-2005, 10:57 AM
Guys, this is Evil you are talking about. He always has hardware problems, so don't take what he says to heart.
H.Bogard
07-07-2005, 11:22 AM
all pc gamers should be thankful for half life 2 :( .......just look at the console market...and you`ll see what i mean
Hmm, I was running HL2 with a 9600 Pro and didn't feel behind the times at all. Then when I upgraded to a 9800 Pro, I felt pretty dang-diddly... good!
Sure people who bought the bundle had to wait, but they still got a free, excellent game that would still play very well on the card they bought. I don't think anyone got that screwed.
netcraazzy
07-07-2005, 12:52 PM
I think the voucher program was a failure for ATI because it was a huge missed opportunity. At the time that the 9800XT/9600XT came out ATI was pretty much walking all over NVIDIA in the performance numbers. The plan was to have Half-Life 2 out during this timeframe where NVIDIA didn't have anything that could match the ATI cards. If this had happened then ATI would have sold many more cards because all the people who were upgrading for the game (there were a lot) would go for the ATI cards not just because they had better performance but because you got the game for free too.
Of course the game code got stolen and Valve used that as an reason (excuse?) to push the game back for almost a year longer and during that timeframe the 6800 series came out and ATI was no longer the performance leader.
Beelzebud
07-07-2005, 04:49 PM
All the same. "Screwed", and "outdated" is not the adjectives I would use to describe my experience with HL2, and my 9600XT.......
ElPresidente
07-07-2005, 07:30 PM
Hell, I know that if I didn't have the money to shell out on an X800XT PE prior ot HL2's release I would have been more than happy playing it on my 9800 Pro... does that mean I was more than more than happy playing it on my X800T? :P
No the 9800 is not outdated no matter what you say Evil.
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