Vivendi Universal Games (VU Games) announced today that Half-Life 2 had officially gone gold. This was after years of development and controversy, weeks of speculative "gold" announcements, and a recently revealed legal fight between VU Games and Valve that threatened the possibility of a Half-Life 2 release this year. Fortunately for gamers around the world, the game will see retail in a store near you (no matter where you are, practically) on November 16, 2004.

"Half-Life 2 has surpassed our expectations in every sense -- its high-quality graphics, ground-breaking physics and immersive first-person shooter gameplay set a new standard for PC action games," said Bruce Hack, CEO of VU Games, whose dilated pupils were said to resemble dollar bill signs. "Half-Life 2 will go down as one of the best-selling PC titles, and we are thrilled to deliver this ground-breaking title to the worldwide gaming community this fall."

In Half-Life 2, players once again pick up the crowbar of research scientist Gordon Freeman. He finds himself on an alien-infested realm being picked to the bone, its resources depleted, its populace dwindling. Freeman is thrust into the unenviable role of driving back this scourge and rescuing the world.