This Saturday the 28,000 members of this Steam group are planning to play Half-Life 2 together.

The group hopes that the massive play session will shoot Half-Life 2 up the Steam most-played list and let Valve know how many people are still waiting for Half-Life 2: Episode 3. Valve certainly know this already, and probably receive dozens of emails but the group hopes to deliver the message in a more appreciative way.

“Instead of focusing efforts in a negative and disrespectful way, we have decided to gain Valve’s attention by delivering a basic message: Your oldest and longest running fanbase would like better communication,” they say on the Steam group page.

Event is set to kick off at 7PM GMT / 11AM PST this Saturday.

Update #1:

First invite went to LTChaosLT. Congrats! Round two coming very soon…

Update #2:

We want you to make up a short story, leave a comment below or send us a direct message on our Twitter. We’ll pick the best story and post it here for everyone to read. GO!

Second winner is: Cake for this short story.

Gabe Newell said that it’s going to be a great addition and was a result of many direct requests from their customers.

“The Steam app comes from many direct requests from our customers,” he said

“Seeing which of your friends are online and playing a game, sending quick messages, looking at screenshots for an upcoming game, or catching a sale – these are all features customers have requested. Mobile is changing way people interact, play games and consume media, and the Steam app is part of our commitment to meet customer demands and expand the service functionality of Steam to make it richer and more accessible for everyone” Newell added.

We’ll be giving away 3 Steam Mobile invites later today!

The only bad thing is you need an invite:

Hi guys!

I just have a short announcement to all of you posting on our forums.

Please do not call any CD-Key store/seller/company a scammer, fraud or thief without providing any actual evidence. Feel free to post screenshots of your chats with them, PayPal transfers, messages, e-mails etc.

That would be all. From now on if you post something please think twice before calling someone names.

During 2011 the platform grew to offer over 1,800 games to over 40 million accounts. Year-over-year unit sales increased by more than 100% for the seventh straight year, and during the 2011 Holiday Sale Steam’s simultaneous user number eclipsed the 5 million player mark.                      
 
Meanwhile Steam doubled the amount of content delivered in 2011 vs. 2010, serving over 780 Petabytes of data to gamers around the world. To meet the increasing demand for games and services on the platform, the Steam infrastructure more than doubled its service capacity and a new content delivery architecture was deployed to improve user download rates.
 
Over 14.5 mil copies of Steamworks games were registered during the year, a 67% increase over 2010. Steamworks titles shipped during 2011 include The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Deus Ex: Human Revolution and more. Since the suite of services was released three years ago, Steamworks has shipped in over 400 games.
 
"Steam and Steamworks continues to evolve to keep up with customer and developer demands for new services and content," said Gabe Newell, co-founder and president of Valve. "Support for in-game item trading prompted the exchange of over 19 million items. Support for Free to Play (FTP) games, launched in June, has spurred the launch of 18 FTP titles on Steam, with more coming in 2012. Looking forward, we are preparing for the launch of the Big Picture UI mode, which will allow gamers to experience Steam on large displays and in more rooms of the house."

Source: TGX

You can now blind pre-order Indie Royale’s New Year’s Bundle – which includes PC and Mac versions of all games – at a recommended €/£/$5 to €/£/$10 USD contribution, and aminimum of $3.99 USD.

The titles to be offered will include a premium blend of FPS and RTS (Steam for PC and Mac), an innovative single-player puzzle game (Steam for PC and Mac, Desura for PC, DRM-free PC and Mac download), an award-winning 2D platformer (Steam for PC and Mac, plus an enhanced version for Desura PC, DRM-free PC and Mac download) and a world premiere on PC/Mac for an acclaimed arcade shooter with a twist (Desura for PC, DRM-free PC and Mac download).

Those who optionally pre-order now will get game access as soon as the bundle launches, lock in their price, and receive as a bonus George & Jonathan’s raved-about electronic chiptune funk album ‘Beautiful Lifestyle’ (this bonus is also available to those who pay more than the minimum price during the bundle.)

The New Year’s Bundle will launch fully later this week at $2.99 USD and up – watch our Twitter feed or Facebook page for immediate notice at launch time.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

(Prices may change during the day)

Space Pirates and Zombies

http://store.steampowered.com/app/107200/

US: $ 2.49

UK: £ 1.74 (9% higher)

EU: € 2.24 (17% higher)

Homefront

http://store.steampowered.com/app/55100/

US: $ 7.49

UK: £ 7.49 (56% higher)

EU: € 4.99 (13% lower)

Machinarium

http://store.steampowered.com/app/40700/

US: $ 2.49

UK: £ 1.86 (17% higher)

EU: € 2.11 (10% higher)

Revenge of the Titans

http://store.steampowered.com/app/93200/

US: $ 2.49

UK: £ 1.74 (9% higher)

EU: € 2.49 (30% higher)

Dungeon Defenders

http://store.steampowered.com/app/65800/

US: $ 3.74

UK: £ 2.49 (4% higher)

EU: € 2.99 (4% higher)

Section 8®: Prejudice™

http://store.steampowered.com/app/97100/

US: $ 3.74

UK: £ 2.49 (4% higher)

EU: € 3.24 (13.37% higher, true story.)

Dead Space

http://store.steampowered.com/sale/DeadSpace

US: $ 4.99

UK: £ 3.74 (17% higher)

EU: € 3.74 (2% lower)

Dead Space™ 2

http://store.steampowered.com/sale/DeadSpace

US: $ 4.99

UK: £ 4.99 (56% higher!)

EU: € 7.49 (96% higher!!!)

Hearts of Iron III

http://store.steampowered.com/app/25890/

US: $ 2.49

UK: £ 1.99 (25% higher)

EU: € 2.49 (30% higher)

Hearts of Iron 3 Collection

http://store.steampowered.com/sale/HeartsOfIron

US: $7.49

UK: £6.24

EU: €7.49

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light

http://store.steampowered.com/app/35130/

US: $ 3.74

UK: £ 2.49 (4% higher)

EU: € 3.74 (30% higher)

Tomb Raider: Legend

http://store.steampowered.com/app/7000/

US: $ 3.74

UK: £ 1.99 (16% higher)

EU: € 2.49 (12% higher)

Tomb Raider: Anniversary

http://store.steampowered.com/app/8000/

US: $ 2.49

UK: £ 2.49 (56% higher)

EU: € 2.49 (30% higher)

Tomb Raider: Underworld

http://store.steampowered.com/app/8140/

US: $ 4.99

UK: £ 2.49 (21% lower)

EU: € 3.74 (2% lower)

Assassin’s Creed Pack

http://store.steampowered.com/sale/Holiday2011_AssassinsCreed

US: $59.99

UK: £34.99

EU: €59,99 (30% higher)

Assassin’s Creed Revelations

http://store.steampowered.com/app/201870/

US: $ 37.49

UK: £ 22.49 (6% lower)

EU: € 37.49 (30% higher)

Assassin’s Creed™: Director’s Cut Edition

http://store.steampowered.com/app/15100/

US: $ 4.99

UK: £ 2.49 (21% lower)

EU: € 4.99 (30% higher)

Assassin’s Creed 2 Deluxe Edition

http://store.steampowered.com/app/33230/

US: $ 4.99

UK: £ 3.74 (17% higher)

EU: € 7.49 (96% higher!!)

Assassin’s Creed® Brotherhood

http://store.steampowered.com/app/48190/

US: $ 13.59

UK: £ 10.19 (17% higher)

EU: € 16.99 (63% higher)

Two Worlds Epic Edition

http://store.steampowered.com/app/1930/

US: $ 6.79

UK: £ 4.75 (9% higher)

EU: € 6.79 (30% higher)

Two Worlds II

http://store.steampowered.com/app/7520/

US: $ 13.59

UK: £ 8.49 (2% lower)

EU: € 13.59 (30% higher)

Two Worlds II Castle Defense

http://store.steampowered.com/app/7530/

US: $ 4.07

UK: £ 2.71 (4% higher)

EU: € 3.39 (8% higher)

Two Worlds II – Pirates of the Flying Fortress

http://store.steampowered.com/app/200440/

US: $ 10.19

UK: £ 8.49 (30% higher)

EU: € 10.19 (30% higher)

Serious Sam 3: BFE

http://store.steampowered.com/app/41070/

US: $ 19.99

UK: £ 14.99 (17% higher)

EU: € 19.99 (30% higher)

Solar 2

http://store.steampowered.com/app/97000/

US: $2.49

UK: £1.74 (9% higher)

EU: €2.24 (17% higher)

Call of Duty®: Black Ops

http://store.steampowered.com/app/42700/

US: $29.99

UK: £19.99 (4% higher)

EU: €29.99 (30% higher)

Terraria

http://store.steampowered.com/app/105600/

US: $2.49

UK: £1.49 (6% lower)

EU: €2.49 (30% higher)

Cities in Motion

http://store.steampowered.com/app/73010/

US: $4.99

UK: £3.74 (17% higher)

EU: €4.99 (30% higher)

Sequence

http://store.steampowered.com/app/200910/

US: $1.24

UK: £0.99 (25% higher)

EU: €0.99 (4% higher)

Stronghold 3

http://store.steampowered.com/app/47400/

US: $33.49

UK: £20.09 (6% lower)

EU: €33.49 (30% higher)

F.E.A.R. Collection

http://store.steampowered.com/sub/12357/

US: $24.99

UK: £19.99 (25% higher)

EU: €24.99 (30% higher)

Gothic Complete Pack

http://store.steampowered.com/sub/12075/

US: $12.49

UK: £9.99 (25% higher)

EU: €12.49 (30% higher)

Disciples III – Resurrection

http://store.steampowered.com/app/200670/

US: $7.49

UK: £7.49 (56% higher)

EU: €7.49 (30% higher)

Disciples III – Renaissance Steam Special Edition

http://store.steampowered.com/app/33670/

US: $4.99

UK: £3.74 (17% higher)

EU: €4.99 (30% higher)

Dawn of War® – Platinum Edition

http://store.steampowered.com/sub/447/

US: $10.19

UK: £3.39 (47% lower)

EU: €3.39 (56% lower)

Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® – Soulstorm

http://store.steampowered.com/app/9450/

US: $6.79

UK: £3.39 (21% lower)

EU: €2.37 (54% lower)

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II – Complete Pack

http://store.steampowered.com/sub/7432/

US: $20.39

UK: £16.99 (30% higher)

EU: €13.58 (12% lower)

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands™

http://store.steampowered.com/app/33320/

US: $4.99

UK: £3.74 (17% higher)

EU: €4.99 (30% higher)

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands™ Digital Deluxe Edition

http://store.steampowered.com/app/901478/

US: $7.49

UK: NOT AVAILABLE (100% fail)

EU: €7.49 (30% higher)

Prince of Persia®

http://store.steampowered.com/app/19980/

US: $4.99

UK: £3.74 (17% higher)

EU: €3.74 (2% lower)

Prince of Persia®: The Sands of Time

http://store.steampowered.com/app/13600/

US: $2.49

UK: £2.24 (40% higher)

EU: €2.49 (30% higher)

Prince of Persia: Warrior Within™

http://store.steampowered.com/app/13500/

US: $2.49

UK: £2.24 (40% higher)

EU: €2.49 (30% higher)

Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones™

http://store.steampowered.com/app/13530/

US: $2.49

UK: £2.24 (40% higher)

EU: €2.49 (30% higher)

Star Wars Republic Commando™

http://store.steampowered.com/app/6000/

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

http://store.steampowered.com/app/32370/

each

US: $2.49

UK: £1.74 (9% higher)

EU: €2.24 (17% higher)

Star Wars Battlefront® II

http://store.steampowered.com/app/6060/

US: $2.49

UK: £1.61 (1% higher)

EU: €2.24 (17% higher)

Star Wars® Empire at War™: Gold Pack

http://store.steampowered.com/app/32470/

Star Wars Jedi Knight Collection

http://store.steampowered.com/sub/

each

US: $4.99

UK: £3.74 (17% higher)

EU: €4.74 (24% higher)

ps.: Sodding packs! I hope, nobody wants the comparison for every fucking Gothic/Jedi Knight/Dawn of War II Title separately. If so, just look it up on SteamPrices.com!

Interesting info was posted on reddit today, according to one of the users he got banned by Mike Blaszczak (Valve employee) on the official Steam Forums for a suggestion he made towards his behavior on the forums, here’s the full story:

I’ll try to keep this as short as possible. Someone posted a thread in the Steam forums asking for help with an issue related to a game they had bought, asking for a response from Valve.

As it happens, and as everyone knows, Valve only responds to these problems in the form of support tickets.

Nevertheless, Valve employee MikeBlaszczak responded with absolutely no information, but moved the thread to the General Steam Forum.. without even mentioning that the proper way to handle the problem is a support ticket.

When the thread got moved, I mentioned that the only way it would get taken care of was through a support ticket. And, I did make a remark about how the Valve employee should have mentioned as much.

What I didn’t expect was that I would get my post deleted and an instant -2 point infraction from Mr. Ballsack for stating such a thing.

I admit, I was a bit annoyed after that, and I made another reply pretty much restating what I had said before.. that the only way they will find help is if they submit a ticket. And I did restate my surprise that the official valve employee response (which is quite a rare thing on those forums) failed to mention the actual helpful solution.

Bam.

Banned.

Am I right or wrong in wanting to stand up for this? I think this is the very definition of unfair treatment no matter how you look at it, but at this point it seems like I have no choice but to let it go.

What would you do?

Well if the story is real, that’s some bullshit behavior right there. Anyway, stay tuned for more giveaways today on our Steam group!

Rock of Ages

http://store.steampowered.com/app/22230/

US: $2.49

UK: £1.47 (9% higher)

EU: €1.99 (4% higher)

Bastion

http://store.steampowered.com/app/107100/

US: $5.09

UK: £3.89 (20% higher)

EU: €4.75 (21% higher)

Bulletstorm™

http://store.steampowered.com/app/99810/

US: $4.99

UK: £7.49 (135% higher!!)

EU: €12.49 (226% higher!!!)

Test Drive Unlimited 2

http://store.steampowered.com/app/9930/

US: $6.79

UK: £5.09 (17% higher)

EU: €6.79 (30% higher)

Red Faction Guerrilla

http://store.steampowered.com/app/20500/

US: $4.99

UK: £3.74 (17% higher)

EU: €2.49 (34% lower)

Red Faction®: Armageddon™

http://store.steampowered.com/app/55110/

US: $7.49

UK: £3.74 (21% lower)

EU: €7.49 (30% higher)

Worms Complete Pack

http://store.steampowered.com/sub/12391/

US: $19.99

UK: £14.99

EU: €17.49

Anomaly: Warzone Earth

http://store.steampowered.com/app/91200/

US: $2.49

UK: £2.24 (41% higher)

EU: €2.49 (30% higher)

Far Cry®

http://store.steampowered.com/app/13520/

US: $2.49

UK: £1.24 (22% lower)

EU: €2.49 (30% higher)

Far Cry® 2: Fortune’s Edition

http://store.steampowered.com/app/19900/

US: $4.99

UK: £2.49 (21% lower)

EU: €4.99 (30% higher)

Beat Hazard Complete

http://store.steampowered.com/sub/8500/

US: $3.24

UK: £2.11

EU: €2.49

A Game of Thrones – Genesis

http://store.steampowered.com/app/58550/

US: $19.99

UK: £14.99 (17% higher)

EU: €19.99 (30% higher)

Sonic Generations

http://store.steampowered.com/app/71340/

US: $10.19

UK: £6.79 (4% higher)

EU: €10.19 (30% higher)

King’s Bounty: Platinum Edition

http://store.steampowered.com/sub/6121/

US: $ 8.74

UK: £ 7.49 (34% higher)

EU: € 7.49 (11% higher)