<i>Valve Software wants to make sure you get only as much of Half-Life 2 as you want to play. The developer is planning to ship separate versions of the first-person shooter later this month as well as offer various purchase options through Steam (the company's broadband platform for the delivery of digital content). Three retail versions will appear in stores at different price points. One will contain the single-player game but lack multiplayer content and mod support.
This mass market product will be sold at places such as Wal-Mart. Another will contain Half-Life 2's single- and multi-player components as well as full mod support. It will be sold at places like GameStop and Electronics Boutique. The third will be the Collector's Edition - which Valve says will contain plenty of bonus materials. Steam users will be able to purchase Half-Life 2 outright or buy it on subscription. The buy-it-once crowd will have to pay separately for expansion products.</i>
That I like since I don't do online gaming.
*Link fixed
