Curse of the Leaking Valve Strikes Again: Half-Life 2 Script Exposed!

It’s been one calamity after another with Valve’s hapless build up to the release of Half-Life 2. On top of the fact that someone managed to steal the source code all those months ago, baring the technical bones for all to see, now the jinxed developers have accidentally revealed the Half-Life 2 script – exposing and spoiling the storyline in all its scientifically fictional glory. At least, that's what the folk at HL2world.com are saying.

The script had been embedded as a ‘.gcf’ file which was uploaded along with the Counter-Strike Source code. With no step considered too far for the Half-Life disciples, the cunning fellows managed to deconstruct the file and extract the literary goodness from within. It’s a small mercy for Valve that the leak has thus far been contained, as only the Counter Strike testers have had the full lowdown. However, as one of the Halo 2 beta testers amply demonstrated in another of today's stories – some information is just too big to keep to oneself.

We can only assume that Valve is taking appropriate measures to contain the leak, although in reality, spoiling the supposed ‘surprise’ ending would hardly affect sales. Whilst more extreme cynics might suggest that this ‘leak’ is part of an extended marketing gimmick - intended to keep HL2 on gamers’ lips throughout the period in which Doom 3 is supposed to dominate - in all probability it’s just another unfortunate episode in Valve’s burgeoning tome of the ‘things not to do when trying to finish a game smoothly and efficiently’ encyclopaedia.

The release date looks likely to be at the end of September, so there won’t be long to wait until the script is full revealed in an entirely orthodox and official form.