News
Microsoft Hails "Half-Life 2" as New Benchmark in Games for Windows
Microsoft DirectX 9.0
Brings "Unequaled" Graphics and Gameplay
REDMOND, Wash. - Sept. 10, 2003 - Ensuring that the long-awaited sequel to one
of the industry's most groundbreaking games will not only live up to five years
of anticipation, but will also give gaming enthusiasts a reason to fasten their
seatbelts in front of their PCs, Microsoft®
DirectX® 9.0 will bring
scientist Gordon Freeman and his creeping, shooting alien nemeses back to life -
with the vibrant graphics and enhanced gameplay needed for a truly immersive
experience - with the release of "Half-Life 2®"
by Valve Corp.
"We see 'Half-Life 2' as a new benchmark for the type of amazing experiences
that can be delivered on the Windows®
platform, and DirectX 9.0 is clearly serving as the catalyst for the development
of these state-of-the-art games," said Dean Lester, general manager of Windows
Gaming and Graphics at Microsoft Corp. "'Half-Life 2' emphasizes the trend we
are already seeing: Games for Windows now deliver the most cutting-edge
technology and immersive entertainment available anywhere."
"DirectX 9.0 has been crucial in helping us create a worthy sequel to
'Half-Life,' one that gives Windows gamers everything they've been waiting for,
a truly unequaled experience," said Gabe Newell, co-founder of Valve. "We are
thrilled that our relationship with Microsoft has produced a title that all of
us can be proud of."
Among the singular advantages that the DirectX 9.0 API brings to "Half-Life 2"
are increased speed and improved graphics - from more-detailed bump-mapped
characters to more-nuanced lighting and delicate soft shadows that lend further
realism to games on Windows. The central feature of DirectX 9.0, High-Level
Shader Language (HLSL), allows for full-spectrum color graphics, video, 3-D
animation and enhanced audio capabilities.
"Half-Life 2" and its DirectX capabilities have been critically hailed by
GameSpot, which recently wrote, "'Half-Life 2's' characters are so detailed that
even [their] eyes are modeled in great detail. So when [one character] was made
to look toward the screen, the effect was that she was looking right at us,
rather than staring blankly at nothing, as game characters tend to do. ... These
are definitely some of the better-looking real-time 3-D characters that we've
seen in a PC game to date."
About Valve
Founded in 1996, Valve creates entertainment software titles, including
Half-Life®, Counter-StrikeTM
and Team Fortress®.
Valve's portfolio accounts for over 8 million retail units sold worldwide, and
over 88 percent of the online action market. More information about Valve is
available through the company's Web site at
http://www.valvesoftware.com.
About DirectX
Microsoft DirectX is an advanced suite of multimedia APIs built into Microsoft
Windows operating systems. This standard platform enables software developers to
access specialized hardware features without having to write hardware-specific
code. DirectX debuted in 1995 and quickly became a recognized standard for
multimedia application development on the Windows platform.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software,
services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The
company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people
through great software - any time, any place and on any device.
Microsoft, DirectX and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of
Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the
trademarks of their respective owners.
Half-Life and Valve are registered trademarks of Valve Corp.
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