WidowPC Gaming Computers - EA Assimilates Valve, Valve Steams On
We ganked this from GameDev.net. They in turn had previously ganked it from thestreet.com. Since thestreet.com has no idea what gank means, we'll assume they ganked it straight from the press release but didn't know it. It's good stuff about EA *cough* The Borg *cough* assimilating everyone's favorite Half-Life 2 developer studio.
Herein lies the assimilation:
The PC game lineup at Electronic Arts (ERTS:Nasdaq - commentary - research) is getting some new life.
The video-game giant has signed a distribution and publishing deal with Valve, the privately held developer behind Half-Life 2, one of the top-selling PC games of last year. As part of the multiyear deal, EA will distribute special PC editions of Half-Life 2 and Counter-Strike: Source, both of which will be released in September, said EA spokeswoman Tammy Schachter. EA will also publish and distribute Half-Life 2 for the Xbox, which has an October release date.
Additionally, the agreement includes the rights to publish or distribute future games within the two franchises, Schachter said. Schachter declined to give financial details of the deal or its specific duration.
The deal covers the retail versions of the two game franchises, she said. Valve-owned Steam will continue to distribute the games online.
A Valve representative did not return a call seeking comment.
The deal follows the dissolution of Valve's partnership with Vivendi Universal (V:NYSE - commentary - research). As part of a lawsuit settlement earlier this year, Vivendi agreed to stop distributing Valve's games, including Half-Life 2 and Counter-Strike, as of August 31.
The special edition version of Half-Life 2, titled Game of the Year, will include Half-Life 2, Counter-Strike: Source, Half-Life 2: Deathmatch and Half-Life: Source. The Counter-Strike: Source package will include that game plus Half-Life 2: Deathmatch and Day of Defeat: Source.
In recent trading, EA shares were up 52 cents, or about 1%, to $57.98.
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