Original Half Life 2 dvd activation

[deadhead333]

I want to buy original dvd edition of this game and when i look at 2004 editions box there is no mention about online activation or steam account whereas in 2006 editions onwards there is. Will the early edition activate offline just by entering the keycode or was this game always tied to steam or server activation was required?

 

[neatfeatguy]

Half Life 2 was designed to utilize Steam. You'll need an unused steam key to install it. If the copy you buy is unused, awesome. Otherwise you'll have to purchase a digital copy of the game off Steam.

I've still got my original Half Life 2 game, with the big box and manual that came with it. I remember installing the game and how it required Steam - this was the whole reason I even started using Steam.

 

[Deleted member 24505]

HL2 was the reason i got steam 18/11/2004, can't remember if i had a boxed version or digital though.

 

[deadhead333]

Half Life 2 was designed to utilize Steam. You'll need an unused steam key to install it. If the copy you buy is unused, awesome. Otherwise you'll have to purchase a digital copy of the game off Steam.

I've still got my original Half Life 2 game, with the big box and manual that came with it. I remember installing the game and how it required Steam - this was the whole reason I even started using Steam.

thanks for the response , but are you sure this was very first version? the packaging nowhere mentions this so i guess it was pretty misleading back in the day.

anyways , can this online thing be bypassed provided i have the original dvd and keycode? I had a15 year break with gaming and try to return to it but these online services are pretty discouraging.

 

[neatfeatguy]

You could (according to this post) install halflife 2 from original CD without the use of Steam, but I have never tried to do this and I cannot confirm this works. Otherwise, Half Life 2 does utilize Steam.

 

[deadhead333]

sweet

 

[qubit]

Steam was designed for HL2. I remember it being reported at the time that HL2 was Steam only. It's the only reason that I signed up to Steam and now 250 games later...

 

[Sithaer]

Half Life 2 was designed to utilize Steam. You'll need an unused steam key to install it. If the copy you buy is unused, awesome. Otherwise you'll have to purchase a digital copy of the game off Steam.

I've still got my original Half Life 2 game, with the big box and manual that came with it. I remember installing the game and how it required Steam - this was the whole reason I even started using Steam.

Same here, HL 2 was the first game I ever pre ordered/bought for full price and made me start using Steam.
Mine is the CD version, has 5 CDs in the box and the Steam key.

 

[AsRock]

HL2 was the reason i got steam 18/11/2004, can't remember if i had a boxed version or digital though.

Same here, that's some 17 years ago for me. I got mine with a ATI 9700 if memory serves right, might even have it still haha.

 

[m0nt3]

thanks for the response , but are you sure this was very first version? the packaging nowhere mentions this so i guess it was pretty misleading back in the day.

anyways , can this online thing be bypassed provided i have the original dvd and keycode? I had a15 year break with gaming and try to return to it but these online services are pretty discouraging.

That does not look like my original copy i bought on release day. Mine is a cardboard box with 5 CD's. perhaps there were other versions released at the same time? It does require steam without some hacking. But now the game is DRM free. once you download it you can copy it to any other computer. Thats how I play it on my retro rig.

 

[neatfeatguy]

I know, it's been 2 weeks since the last post on this topic, but after moving and going through boxes I found my original Half Life 2 box. The game does come with a Steam Required notice, but unlike more recent games that started putting the Steam Required notice on the outside of the box, this one came with an insert that explained that Steam was required (see last pic).