Eyebrows were raised at our secret HQ when the latest release schedule from Vivendi Universal Interactive plopped into our inbox. Perusal of said document revealed a section at the end, headed ‘Precise Date TBC’, and along with a couple of KiPulKai titles, there it was – Half-Life 2.
We feared that the theft of part of the source code from developer Valve, as reported in the last week or so, and Valve head honcho Gabe Newell’s postings on the matter, may result in a delay in delivery to retail. A spokesperson from Vivendi’s UK offices told us on Tuesday afternoon that, “…the game is still scheduled for a 2003 release. Until we’re told otherwise, that’s how it is”.
Delving further into the story, we came across a CNN Money article proclaiming that the game’s release has been knocked back to spring 2004. Vivendi Universal Games president of international operations Christophe Ramboz is quoted as telling Tuesday's edition of financial daily Les Echos, "A third of the source code was stolen. It's serious because it forces us to delay the launch of the game by at least four months, that is to April 2004. Just the time to rewrite parts of the game."
And this morning, Ramboz commented,“Vivendi Universal Games is only the distributor of the product, which is produced by the US studio Valve, and so it will up to them to make an announcement. But it is true that the launch has been delayed by a theft of a part of the game.”
Oh, for a real-life Gordon Freeman – the Half-Life hero – to come along and catch up with the hacker/s responsible for the theft. We reckon he’d bust some heads open for real, and you know something? We’d be right behind him. Have a happy Christmas then, but only if you deserve to.
We feared that the theft of part of the source code from developer Valve, as reported in the last week or so, and Valve head honcho Gabe Newell’s postings on the matter, may result in a delay in delivery to retail. A spokesperson from Vivendi’s UK offices told us on Tuesday afternoon that, “…the game is still scheduled for a 2003 release. Until we’re told otherwise, that’s how it is”.
Delving further into the story, we came across a CNN Money article proclaiming that the game’s release has been knocked back to spring 2004. Vivendi Universal Games president of international operations Christophe Ramboz is quoted as telling Tuesday's edition of financial daily Les Echos, "A third of the source code was stolen. It's serious because it forces us to delay the launch of the game by at least four months, that is to April 2004. Just the time to rewrite parts of the game."
And this morning, Ramboz commented,“Vivendi Universal Games is only the distributor of the product, which is produced by the US studio Valve, and so it will up to them to make an announcement. But it is true that the launch has been delayed by a theft of a part of the game.”
Oh, for a real-life Gordon Freeman – the Half-Life hero – to come along and catch up with the hacker/s responsible for the theft. We reckon he’d bust some heads open for real, and you know something? We’d be right behind him. Have a happy Christmas then, but only if you deserve to.
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