Valve & VUGames In Court

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GameSpot has a lengthy update on the Valve vs Vivendi Universal lawsuit that has been going on since 2002 when Valve sued Sierra (part of VUGames). The Half-Life developer originally sued Sierra because the publisher put Valve games in Internet cafes in the US and around the world, which Valve alledges is a copyright infringement. Vivendi later counter-sued, saying Valve had made misleading statements to them about their online distribution plans. Vivendi also wants Valve to honor a previous agreement and publish whatever Valve is going to work on next, and they would like to be awarded ownership of the Half-Life franchise as well. Various motions will be heard by the court October 8 (the trial won't be until March 2005). How all of this will affect the release of Half-Life 2, we won't know for a while (though Vivendi Universal Games sure could use the money).

In court filings, Sierra/VUG says that the current distribution of Half-Life 2 via Steam exceeds the scope of the current software publishing agreement between the two parties. It is apparently seeking the court's assistance in compelling Valve not to use Steam as an avenue of distribution. On Friday, when asked if Valve was remained intent on making Half-Life 2 available to gamers via Steam, regardless of what was determined on October 8, Lombardi replied, "Yes."

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From The Chatty
  • reply
    September 20, 2004 8:14 AM

    I wonder if this will affect HL2's release at all?

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      September 20, 2004 8:17 AM

      I doubt it - both parties have nothing to gain by delaying HL2. In fact, delaying will only cost both parties money...

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      September 20, 2004 8:17 AM

      No more or less than it would have before people started paying attention to it.

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      September 20, 2004 8:18 AM

      It seems as though both companies are trying to screw each other over while still maintaining somewhat normal business...

      Hopefully it won't affect the release, though there might be some little 'omg you didn't' kinda releases (hl2 on steam before stores possibly?)... just to spite people...

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        September 20, 2004 8:20 AM

        No that'd just get Valve into more legal hot water.

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          September 20, 2004 8:24 AM

          From the article:

          "On Friday, when asked if Valve was remained intent on making Half-Life 2 available to gamers via Steam, regardless of what was determined on October 8, Lombardi replied, "Yes." "

          So it is possible...

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            September 20, 2004 8:30 AM

            Not before it's in stores though. They can't do that due to their contract, just like with CS:CZ.

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      September 20, 2004 9:19 AM

      I'm not so worried about the release date ... I'm worried about Steam. If VU wins (unlikely, but bear with me), they could probably dismantle Steam, which would make it damn hard for me to play CS:CZ since I bought it online.

      And since this case won't be decided until at least next year, it means that everybody who buys HL2 via Steam will run the same risk (which I was planning to do).

      Now, VU could just pick up Steam and run with it in order to maintain that revenue stream (likely), but there's still a minute risk in a Steam purchase until this case is resolved.

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        September 20, 2004 10:11 AM

        I'd have thought it more likely that Steam would be neutered down to a WON-esque network, which wouldn't stop you actually playing the game.

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