'Official' Half-Life 2 Thread. Do Not Create New Threads (NO SPOILERS)

[t.foster73]

My copy won't authenticate, and I have tried several times now. I can't even take it back to the shop for a refund, because of the serial key unlocking system. This is beyond a joke, and I will be writing to the developers and telling them what I think of their protection system. These guys must be stupid! They must surely have realised the amount of traffic they would receive on the 16th, and if they couldn't cope then they shouldn't have used this system. I don't think this method will catch on, as Valve have their own Servers to cope with demand (No use to me of course). If they think I'm titting about for hours trying to get a game I paid full price for too run, they've got another thing coming. This will be on E-Bay for £10 buy it now in an hour, or the bin, I'm not fussed. I just wish I had a machine gun and the protection developers stood in front of it!