Half-Life 2: Aftermath priced, $12.95

[Varsity]

Yes, $12.95 on Steam. Shacknews has the details (http://www.shacknews.com/extras/2005/091505_valvehdr_3.x). A tentative date of November was also given.

At long last, Steam's profit margin increases are coming into play.

[DeadPixel]

That's not a bad price. Any reviews on this yet?

[Scull]

Ohh...13 bucks! It will be mine!

[TheKeck]

Any word on how much gameplay we're going to see on this thing? If it's on par with Opposing Force, this seems like a great price to me. Blue Shift..... not so much. (Getting Blue Shift for free a few weeks ago was the perfect price for me.)

[Rafer]

Well if they were selling this at retail, the developer of a game usually only gets around 7% of the price (the rest is gobbled by retailer, publisher, shipping, manufacturing), so 12.95 is probably a big increase in revenue per copy sold.

[Varsity]

No to both questions so far. :)

so 12.95 is probably a big increase in revenue per copy sold.Yeah, but it is also a big decrease to price paid.

[Hieremias]

Well if they were selling this at retail, the developer of a game usually only gets around 7% of the price (the rest is gobbled by retailer, publisher, shipping, manufacturing), so 12.95 is probably a big increase in revenue per copy sold.

Which is why I never did bitch and whine about Steam (though I was certainly in the minority). It had its problems and birthing pains, but I'm all in favour of any delivery system that cuts out the middle men and, more importantly, the allmighty publisher. Giving the developer more profit AND releasing them from the bondage of an ever-present publisher who seeks to push out unfinished work, while decreasing the cost to consumers? It's about time.

[Derwin]

Oh crap that's an awesome price. I was expecting $29.99

[Liquidize105]

Well, I wonder where Ritual's gonna set their Sin price now that Valve came out with their 12.99 expansion. Also when Alien Infested hits, I'm hoping for a similar price with lots of extras for the paid version.

[PantherModern]

I'm sorry, but that is awesome! 13 dollars! That is a pittance! I was expecting 19.99 or higher. Even if it is only a few hours of new content, that is totally worth it. I mean, that is what I pay to take my wife to the movies, and that is two hours, tops. Sweet ass!

[Cupelix]

I'll admit, I'm impressed by this price point. I hope we see much much more of this in the future.

[Serapth]

I'm sorry, but that is awesome! 13 dollars! That is a pittance! I was expecting 19.99 or higher. Even if it is only a few hours of new content, that is totally worth it. I mean, that is what I pay to take my wife to the movies, and that is two hours, tops. Sweet ass!

Sweet ass? Which, your wife or the price?

[Kefkataran]

That's so awesome. I mean I was buying this anyways, but wow. Props to Valve even moreso.

[Heretic Machine]

I'm going to add an awesome to the list, very cool stuff. I don't own Half-life 2, but I still think this is very cool.

[Varsity]

I'm going to add an awesome to the list, very cool stuff. I don't own Half-life 2, but I still think this is very cool.
Well, now you don't have an excuse. :p

[lpmiller]

uh, the story actually states November for Aftermath, not September.

[Roc Ingersol]

I might just give Steam another shot at that price.

[Varsity]

uh, the story actually states November for Aftermath, not September.
Bah.

10char

[KNOTE]

I think that Gabe was dead serious when he talked about taking on the WoW experience. I have always admired him, and yet again he impresses. $12.95, even for 5 hours of gameplay, is impulse-buy range and highly appealing. I'm hoping they start releasing a chapter a month. Now that's when you truly start competing with the WoW level of experience.

[StoneGut]

Nice!!

Sign me up!

[The Mystery Cow]

Seeing as this is sort of a first, I'd highly recommend showing your support in two ways:

1. Buy the expansion. Show them you like this sort of content pricing structure with your dollars.

2. Reinforce that by taking the time to drop the Valve customer service people and let them know that the REASON you're taking to this product so readily is the price. That sort of stuff usually does manage to make its way back up to the people in charge. Positive reinforcement can go a long way.

[Kyle Jones]

Well hot damn, I never thought Valve would make it, but I can honestly say that I think Valve being able to cut out the publisher like this might start a revolution of game devopers "wising up" and cutting out the many middle-men.

[fitbabits]

Yes, $12.95 on Steam. Shacknews has the details (http://www.shacknews.com/extras/2005/091505_valvehdr_3.x). A tentative date of September was also given.

At long last, Steam's profit margin increases are coming into play.

Good news and nice find!

[Varsity]

2. Reinforce that by taking the time to drop the Valve customer service people and let them know that the REASON you're taking to this product so readily is the price.
I think they might be happier if you found a different way to do that. ;)

[reimomo]

2. Reinforce that by taking the time to drop the Valve customer service people and let them know that the REASON you're taking to this product so readily is the price. That sort of stuff usually does manage to make its way back up to the people in charge. Positive reinforcement can go a long way.

I wouldn't have bought it for 30 unless it got stellar reviews. For 13 bucks, I'm buyin it the day its released.

[Serapth]

Well hot damn, I never thought Valve would make it, but I can honestly say that I think Valve being able to cut out the publisher like this might start a revolution of game devopers "wising up" and cutting out the many middle-men.

Easier said then done. You have to keep in mind, Valve still has a retail publisher ( Sierra, now EA ). High speed is common, but not that common so only about 20 or 30 % of people have the ability to use steam to download a game the size of HL2. Im on 5 meg DSL and it still took 5 hours for the game to preload, that will turn alot of people off. Steam isnt the be all end all of distro systems. Maybe in 5 years it will be, but not yet.

Also, keep in mind, Valve is Valve. HL had such massive sales and HL2 had such potential publishers would put up with their shit. Most other developers dont have that kind of clout. So if they strike a deal with a publisher for instore distribution, I imagine most publishers would get *exclusive* distribution rights. Hell, even valve got into a legal tussle over this matter.

So frankly, unless a dev is willing to target its game at a limited section of the market, something like steam just isnt that viable. YET.

[Varsity]

That's where distribution deals, as opposed to publication, come in. A game that has already proven popular online should have no problem finding a publisher willing to print disks, and of course the devs have the upper hand in any negotiations.

[Serapth]

"...and of course the devs have the upper hand in any negotiations."

That is anything but true. Publishers call the shots and have for a very long time. Even with a fully finished game in hand, getting a favourable publishing deal still is no laughing matter. Things like Steam may tilt the power balance but thats yet to be seen.

Ironically enough there was a move towards indy publishing in the past few years, and game like bejewelled sold so well, everyone and their dogs uncle jumped into the online publishing game. As a result, the major portal sites like Yahoo games, Real Arcade, etc... started getting more and more select in what games they would publish. At the same time, royalities paid to the devs plummeted. Same game, different arena.

[Varsity]

That is anything but true...Things like Steam may tilt the power balance but thats yet to be seen.Hmm.

Publishing an already proven game is zero-risk for publishers, plus developers can say 'no' and go elsewhere, unlike when all they have is an idea and rolling demo and need a contract to survive.

[Serapth]

Hmm.

Publishing an already proven game is zero-risk for publishers, plus developers can say 'no' and go elsewhere, unlike when all they have is an idea and rolling demo and need a contract to survive.

Actually, thats often not the case except when dealing with extremely well established developers ( the iD's and Squares of the world ). Many times a publisher will put in a first right to publish clause in the deal with a dev, saying that on the developers next X titles that publisher gets first opportunity to publish the followup titles.

It really can be an unfair playing field, especially for new developers trying to break in.

[Rirath]

For $13, my first question is: "What's wrong with it?"
I'm guessing the answer to that question will be: "It's short."

I expect a weekend of entertainment, at most.

[The Mystery Cow]

I think they might be happier if you found a different way to do that. ;)

Ah-heh-heh. Silly ol' bear! I meant drop *them a line*. :o

[Varsity]

Actually, thats often not the case except when dealing with extremely well established developers ( the iD's and Squares of the world ). Many times a publisher will put in a first right to publish clause in the deal with a dev, saying that on the developers next X titles that publisher gets first opportunity to publish the followup titles.

It really can be an unfair playing field, especially for new developers trying to break in.
You just restated your argument...

[Worldcrafter]

$13? Oh hale yeah!

[PantherModern]

And one wouldn't be happy for a weekend's entertainment for $13? When you can play it again and again if you like? I'm heading to concert next weekend (a one time event), and I spent 40 bucks just to get in the door. That's not gas money, travel time, food, drinks, band merch, hotel room for me and the Mrs. if we are sleepy afterwards, nada. And the concert will last maybe 4 hours, tops. I think thirteen measley bucks is a hell of a deal, especially if I can expect more "episodes" at a similar price.

Bravo, Valve, and in an entirely different context than seen in the Nintendo Controller threads, "Viva La Revolucion!"

[H.Bogard]

holy shit! A retail product (digital) that someone from a 3rd world country can afford!!!

[fitbabits]

holy shit! A retail product (digital) that someone from a 3rd world country can afford!!!

Not meaning to be pithy or anything, but in some developing countries $13 is about six month's pay. :( Not to mention that the likelihood of there being a strong enough technology infrastructure to support such content delivery is very low in these areas.

[feeble]

Any word on how much gameplay we're going to see on this thing? If it's on par with Opposing Force, this seems like a great price to me. Blue Shift..... not so much. (Getting Blue Shift for free a few weeks ago was the perfect price for me.)


1/3 the length of HL2. but since people go through hl2 at different times its hard to say.

try measuring it.

[screwtape]

So what's the "retail box" price supposed to be?

I agree with the posters above - $13 is too damn good to pass up.

[ElectricMonk]

i'm really looking forward to sin episodes now, they'll probably be priced similar you'd think

[Draft]

Fantastic price point. This is an indication of the future of PC gaming.

[TheKeck]

Bravo, Valve, and in an entirely different context than seen in the Nintendo Controller threads, "Viva La Revolucion!"

Hmmm, is that some kind of reference to today being (one of) Mexico's independence days?

[Dracula-X]

Man, what a great price! I hope this goes over well for Valve.

[Revolutionary1]

While I've been skeptical about an internet-based software delivery system (at least until Internet 2 hits a wide enough audience), I must say the lower pricing is attractive. If you could pick up a top level game for $29.99 by downloading it, I think I lot of people would go for it. And imagine if people who don't have credit cards could go to a retailer and pay $34.99 for a card that lets them download it... not a bad deal. Plus is might help to open up a whole new avenue for independent game makers to be able to release games without needing a publisher (or at least without having to shell out most of their profits in the process).

In the long run it may end up being an MP3.com type of thing that opens the door for a lot of grassroots development. That could be a good thing or a bad thing, since it also opens the door for a lot more crap.

[Orosco]

This is a really great price, I was expecting the $30 range. I usually like to have a cd/dvd instead of a download, but Steam has been pretty reliable (for me). Hope more companies take this pricing approach.

[Noman]

This month's CGW article on Source/Valve/Steam mentions that Sin episode will be $15 and it will be 6 hour or so in length.

[Fyd]

pay pay pay always pay, at least they could make it gratis :) all half life 2 is going to cost me more than 120€ ..... thats por a pc game is tooooooooooo much :(

[Rirath]

Gasp, FREE? You must be crazy man! Developers can't afford to GIVE STUFF AWAY! It's unheard of! Don't you know this is the age of micropayments and buying new clothing for your characters, new maps, cars, and soon, single setting length games?

Free. Ha ha ha... you must be thinking of EPIC or A-NET.

[The Iron Weasel]

More HL2....for cheap....excellent!

[TheKeck]

pay pay pay always pay, at least they could make it gratis :) all half life 2 is going to cost me more than 120€ ..... thats por a pc game is tooooooooooo much :(

What is that in $? Are you paying more than we are over here, or are you just a whiner? :p

[PIPBoy3000]

Let's see, $15 for 6 hours of Sin seems a little steep at $2.50 per hour. If Aftermath is around ten hours at $13, that seems a far more reasonable $1.30 per hour. I suspect part if it is that Aftermath can expect to sell a large number of copies which will more than take care of the development costs. I suspect things aren't so sure with Sin and so the developers are hoping people will still buy at the higher cost.

Personally I think that's a dumb approach, unless a month later you cut your price dramatically. The key is to get people hooked on the story right out of the gate, and then charge more. I'll probably pick up the entire Sin collection when it's done, assuming it's well reviewed.

I have mixed feelings about episodic content. Sure it's nice to be able to play more of a game after six months or a year. The down side is that they're never as satisfying. That's why television on DVD is so popular these days - you get 20+ hours of story arcs and character development, commercial and break free. Good stuff.

[Kefkataran]

Let's see, $15 for 6 hours of Sin seems a little steep at $2.50 per hour. If Aftermath is around ten hours at $13, that seems a far more reasonable $1.30 per hour. I suspect part if it is that Aftermath can expect to sell a large number of copies which will more than take care of the development costs. I suspect things aren't so sure with Sin and so the developers are hoping people will still buy at the higher cost.

Yeah, but when you consider that brand-new games are averaging around 10-15 hours and cost $50, the Sin episodes are quite a bargain compared to what we normally pay.

That's why television on DVD is so popular these days - you get 20+ hours of story arcs and character development, commercial and break free. Good stuff.

But it's still all about episodic story-telling. I mean, I love buying TV shows on DVD. I have a huge Six Feet Under collection and just got the first season of Lost. But still my g/f and I never watch more than a couple episodes (three at the most) at a time. If you're more interested in buying the box set than watching the episodes as they are aired, it works the same way with episodic game releases -- like you said, just wait till the collection is released.