Some gamers have already received their copies of Half-Life 2 after retailers sold copies of the game early.
The game will still not be playable until the official release date on 16 Nov though, because each copy requires a one-time authentication through Steam.
Added 14 Nov
Valve have posted an apology to players who purchased the game but cannot yet play it, effectively blaming the publisher, Vivendi, for not allowing Valve to authenticate the copies before the official release date.
Link
More info:
Good Times: Half-Life 2 Is In My Hands!
Street Date Broken, I Got A Call From Eb
EB Breaks Half-Life 2 Street Date?
Gamespot: Half-Life 2 already in some gamers' hands
Half-Life 2 Hits Streets Early?
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