Gamers can now buy a copy of Half-Life 2 from its makers Valve, via its Steam online content delivery system.

They will not be able to play it until it is released in the shops. It comes bundled with Counter-Strike: Source, which can be played immediately.

Valve is selling three Half-Life 2 packages to gamers via Steam, bypassing the game's publisher Vivendi.

No official date has been set for the release of the retail version but it could be in the shops in late November.

From BBC News