Anybody else seen the new HL 2 retail boxes?

[Mountain Man]

I've noticed that the new retail boxes for Half-Life 2 have started showing up in stores. They're simple DVD style cases with the customary artwork on the cover, but the one thing that really caught my attention is that there is really nothing on the box to indicate that the game is being distributed by EA. Looking over the cover art, I could only find a Valve logo. Finally, I looked at the bottom of the box where the only EA logo appears: a small sticker emblazoned with the words "Security device enclosed". That's it. That's the only indication--and it's easy to miss--that EA has anything to do with Half-Life 2's retail distribution.

Certainly tells you who's wearing the pants in that business relationship. I laugh at all the Chicken Littles who cried that giving distribution rights to EA was the beginning of the end for Valve.

[Duoae]

That's how the UK box art was from the start. I don't think it's an indication of "who's wearing the trousers" more of design aesthetics.

[Kristian Joensen]

This is not so weird Scott has mentioned that they always demand in contract negotiations that they should always get their logo placed at least as prominently as the publishers, here Valve have simply done the same.

You can compare the 3D Realms logo in the beginning at the Prey trailer from E3 1998 to the GT Interactive logo beneath it.

[seregrail7]

I was expecting a that big huge EA logo at the bottom.

[Mountain Man]

Kristian Joensen said:
This is not so weird Scott has mentioned that they always demand in contract negotiations that they should always get their logo placed at least as prominently as the publishers...


And they can only get that stipulation if they have the clout to back it up. I guarentee if it was a small developer, EA would have insisted that a big honking "EA" logo be placed prominently on the box.

[Kristian Joensen]

Yes ofcourse, I am agreeing with you, I am on your side of this debate, I don't see what the big deals is with HL2 having a publisher.

Neither to I see a particulary big deal ith that publisher beeing EA.

[Cerberus_e]

Mountain Man said:
"Security device enclosed



subtle! haha

[avatar_58]

Mountain Man said:
Certainly tells you who's wearing the pants in that business relationship. I laugh at all the Chicken Littles who cried that giving distribution rights to EA was the beginning of the end for Valve.



I laugh at all the people who actually care about the company names on boxes instead of whats inside....

[FireFly]

I wonder what percentage of buyers purchase games based on the merit of the box alone with no prior knowledge of the title(s).

[Vivi]

FireFly said:
I wonder what percentage of buyers purchase games based on the merit of the box alone with no prior knowledge of the title(s).



I did that with Deus Ex. This was before I was a hardcore PC gamer. I saw it and thought "this looks pretty cool". When I brought it home, it turned out to be awesome.

[Orochi Avlis]

I saw the box yesterday, I was surprised I couldn't find it.

[Phait]

Did they put ANY info about the game on the box this time? The design of the original boxes was so horribly cryptic about the game. You can tell me "so? HL2 was well anticipated" - that doesn't help people who know nothign about it.

[Rider]

I bought my box the day after it was unlocked online.

It has no EA logo on it...

I like it this way http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Phait]

I just got my Game Of The Year box.

WHY.

DO.

THEY.

PACKAGE.

CD'S.

ON.

TOP.

OF.

EACHOTHER?

Paper sleeves at least, but not this! EA sucks even more :o

[Gryph]

Yeah, I was surprised and pleased to see that. There isn't any mention of EA as distributor in the fine print either. Win-win situation for both parties.

[Steve]

I have no EA logo on my Half Life 2 box...

[avatar_58]

I just got my Game Of The Year box.

WHY.

DO.

THEY.

PACKAGE.

CD'S.

ON.

TOP.

OF.

EACHOTHER?

Paper sleeves at least, but not this! EA sucks even more :o


Actually I hate sleeves so much that the piling CD/DVDs doesn't bother me. I just put the play disks on the top and not a single scratch occurs.

[Mongorian]

I have a lot of respect for Valve; in terms of business sense, they don't seem to stumble very often.

[Foxy]

I was going to say that it isn't suprising, given that Valve isn't in the EA 'family' so to speak, but then again Anno 1503 had the usual EA 'clutch' type cover, and that's one of the biggest selling games/games series ever (certainly in Germany anyway), and they only went to EA for 1503. I would have thought that Sunflowers would have had enough clout to force EA down. Maybe they weren't bothered about it.