These were shipped:

• DropTeam (PC)
  
• Half-Life 2: Episode One (PC)
  
• STACKED with Daniel Negreanu (PC, PS2, Xbox)

• Alliance: Future Combat (June 12)

These titles have been shipped:

• Lemmings (PSP)
  
• Monster Hunter Freedom (PSP)

• Half-Life 2: Episode One
  
• STACKED with Daniel Negreanu (PC, PS2, Xbox)
  
• Ship Simulator 2006

An announcement on Steam lets us know that Half-Life 2: Episode One has begun preloading via the broadband content delivery service. It also reminds one that the first SiN episode has gone gold and that the Red Orchestra SDK has been released.

Episode One will be playable starting June 1. Until then it’s going to sit locked on your hard drive if you wish it to.

Some new screenshots from Half-Life 2: Episode One have been released. Enjoy:

The official Episode One website has gone up too, offering information and media. The episode’s storyline is also detailed, giving it out that G-Man has lost control of the situation and that City 17’s Citadel is now in a self-destruct sequence, and that the episode will have Gordon & Co. escaping from the infernal city and venture out into the world.

Game Informer Online reports that Half-Life 2: Episode One has been delayed to May 31. This is apparently delayed from the previous April date.

A new Steam Update is live, discussing the soon-to-be-released Half-Life 2: Episode One. The update talks about the add-on’s plot and how Alyx will be far more important this time around. Also, the update shows that Valve’s people were frustrated with how it took six years for them to ship the shooter sequel, and that they are now going to try the episodic approach with the franchise, stating that each episode will be designed to further enhance the story, gameplay and the latest Source technology.

There was also a wide-screen screenshot from Episode One attached with the post. It shows off Alyx and her surroundings (look at the screen for a hint).

Following news that Aftermath was renamed to Episode 1, EuroGamer shot off some questions to Valve’s Doug Lombardi, who, as usual, had “interesting” things to say. Most importantly, he says, Half-Life 2: Episode 1 will not require one to have Half-Life 2 purchased. Episode 1 will, as said before, offer four to six hours of gameplay and will include HL2 DM and HL DM: Source for $19.99. As for Episode 2 - it’ll come out much sooner than “HL2 arrived after HL1″ and will most likely offer the same experience at the same price.

Lombardi also explains that Episode 1 is “markedly richer than Half-Life 2″ even though it’s going to be far shorter. “It is worth noting, however, that one of the benefits of developing an episodic game is that the team is able to produce more iterations of each aspect and flesh out each scene far more than in the production of non-episodic games. The result: Episode 1’s complexion and density is markedly richer than Half-Life 2.”

Half-Life 2: Episode 1 will be out on April 24 over Steam. No retail options have been discussed yet.

Already foretold through the title of ‘Episode One’, Valve has confirmed to CVG that the second Episode in the Half-Life 2 series is already in the works. The revelation comes through an interview with Valve’s Robin Walker, who talks about the events in the upcoming Episodes and offers insight into the design process into the new episodic approach that seems to be the rage these days.

Here’s a bit from the interview:

We’ve had sneak peaks of Dog in Episode One teaser trailers. How much time and effort has gone into developing that character’s role in the story?

While Dog makes an appearance in Episode One, most of our energy has been spent on exposing Alyx rather than Dog. He’ll help you both out early on, but it is Alyx who you’ll be spending most your time with.

Let’s talk weapons! We know you guys like to keep things secret, but… if there’s one new weapon you’d like to have with you to get you out of a scrape, which weapon would it be, and why?

In Episode One, it’ll be Alyx you’ll want to have with you.