Quote Originally Posted by Beirut
Now is this every copy of HL2 that has this stupid non-working online registry thing, or just some special DVD (or something else) copies?

All copies, it works like this (I think)....

You can by and get HL2 in one of two manners:

1. Get steam and steam account, perchase game via steam and download (I preloaded it prior to release). Once it is downloaded it will be unlocked by steam and will be read to play.

2. Buy game in the shops, install... Now correct me if I am wrong but it will also install steam and prompt you to create a steam account will it not? It will then authenticate your version of HL2 and activate... Once this is done you can in theory configure steam to run offline and you can continue to play HL2 without ever going onto the internet again.