Halflife 2: Episode 2 Trailer

[Grovestreet]

Here's the new Halflife 2: Episode 2 trailer.
http://www.gametrailers.com/player.php?id=11173&type=wmv&pl=game

[SuperLuigiBros]

Whats up with all these episodes? Im not really into HL or anything so I dont want to waste my download.

[Grovestreet]

They are Expansions, Episode 1 just got released.

[Gaul]

Half-Life 2 Goes Episodic
Valve Software reveals that the Aftermath expansion pack will now be the first in a series of episodic content.

Valve Software has revealed to GameSpot that Aftermath, the upcoming expansion pack to the award-winning 2004 shooter Half-Life 2, has been renamed "Half-Life 2: Episode One." When asked whether the name change is indicative of a change in direction for the Half-Life 2 franchise, Valve marketing director Doug Lombardi replied, "Episodic." When asked the follow-up question of whether the new name meant the beginning of a regular flow of content, Lombardi replied, "Yes."

This change in focus may not be surprising to fans of Valve who are familiar with the company's online delivery service, Steam. The company recently announced that it was partnering with developer Ritual Entertainment to produce SiN Episodes, a series of episodic games on a regular basis that would be distributed online via the Steam service. GameSpot will have more updates on Half-Life 2: Episode One as they become available.
Taken from Gamespot


In short, expect a new episode every few months. Small expansions but in large quantity. You can order them off of steam. It seems to me they are just coming up with new ways to make money.

[masteratt]

Everyone seems happy with what Valve is fdoing because with each episode they add new things to the Steam Engine so it's not as undignified as "lol lets make small games every few months and charge $20"

I still disagree with this episodic crap though and I for one won't bother with the episodic content of any game.

[speed stick]

I looked into this a bit and decided it was not worth it. I mean, I don't want to go back and play new parts of this game when I can just go play CSS. IMO

[Boggy700]

I'm looking forward to the Episodes, but I would prefer it if they did the same kinda thing they did with the original Half-Life.
You know, 'Opposing Force' and 'Blue-Shift'.
That whole thing.

Although it being 'Steam only' purchases puts me off a lot.

[speed stick]

^I know, I would rather pick it up in the store if I wanted it.

[Freeman_JI]

^I know, I would rather pick it up in the store if I wanted it.

Good to hear since the game is being released on a Physical format as well, through EA

[Gaul]

Yeah they should just release a major expansion pack like normal. You could still order that off steam but you could also purchase it in stores which would make it easier for alot of people

[WolfmanNCSU]

There will be three episodes in total that will make up an unofficial Half Life 3.


Eurogamer: Why did you change the name from Aftermath? We liked the name.

Gabe Newell: Errr... I... I think that Aftermath was almost a temporary name. I always thought of it as Episodes One through Three because that's how we planned the products out. I think people thought we'd need a name for them, and Aftermath ended up being more confusing than helpful.

Probably a better name for it would have been Half Life 3: Episode One, but these three are what we're doing as our way of taking the next step forward, but Half-Life 2 was the name we used.

Source (http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=65345)