A report by consumer game website GameSpot indicates that
Half-Life developer Valve Software has renamed its forthcoming PC expansion pack
Half-Life 2: Aftermath to
Half-Life 2: Episode One.
The name change is apparently a result of plans to make an episodic continuation of the award-winning FPS downloadable via the company's Steam digital 'content distribution system', rather than a more traditional, more retail-friendly one-off expansion that was previously planned.
Speaking to GameSpot, Valve marketing director Doug Lombardi also indicated that
Episode One would be the first in a regular line of core single-player expansion content for
Half-Life 2, following use of
Half-Life 2's Source engine for projects including
Counter-Strike: Source and
Day Of Defeat: Source.
The new Valve-developed episodic series follows the announcement of Valve's partnership with developer Ritual Entertainment to produce episodic, digitally delivered parts for a sequel to Ritual’s 1998 first person shoot ‘em-up
SiN, showing the company's drive to cut out both publishers and retail stores in delivering PC product to its fans.
