On nZone are beta v163.75 drivers for various versions of Windows, including 32 and 64-bit editions of XP and Vista. The new drivers add SLI profiles for various games including Jericho, but most notably offers improved compatibility for Half-Life 2: Episode 2, which was recently released.

If you’re into ads, then check out this Orange Box trailer.

Both Half-Life 2: Episode Two and Portal have started pre-loading through Steam on customers’ computers, according to Valve. The idea of pre-loading is to gradually download a game in advance of its release; however, the files are encrypted and can only be unlocked on the day of the game’s release. Buying a physical copy sidesteps the pre-loading process, but even then customers of either medium have to activate the games through Steam to play them.

The Orange Box, which includes the two aforementioned titles as well as Team Fortress 2, will be released on PC and Xbox 360 on October 10, next Wednesday.

Poor programmers at Valve are facing tough times: no BioShock for them. The company’s head honcho Gabe Newell explained to CVG that a ban on the excellent shooter has been imposed in the offices because of the work required to get Half-Life 2: Episode Two out the door. Apparently, getting their own game out will get everyone in the company a copy of BioShock as a reward. Weird indeed! However, Newell then admitted that he is looking forward to playing it.

In an IGN preview it has been confirmed that the PS3 version of Half-Life 2: Orange Box will arrive weeks later after the PC and Xbox 360 versions are released on October 10. No specific reason was provided for the delay.

Their preview of the game has them describing a new section of the game involving the ever-lovable Alyx and a combine advisor. They have a video of that segment, which I have embedded below. The rest of their preview talks about the Xbox 360 version of the game, as well as the PS3 version of Portal.

Already delayed once, Valve has once again pushed back the release date for Half-Life 2: Episode Two. Expected to be delivered during Q1 2007, Episode Two is now expected sometime in Summer 2007. No reason was given.

SunAge is also facing a delay: the game is now set for release during Q1 2007, delayed from its Q3 2006 target date. Lastly, Two Worlds, an upcoming strategy-RPG, has also been delayed to March 7, 2007; it was originally supposed to be available during Q4 of this year.

Valve has done it again! The company’s Doug Lombardi, in an interview with EuroGamer, said that Episode Two, the next installment in the Half-Life 2 saga, is not going to make it to stores until February 2007. Why is this so? “No, it’s just sort of classic Valve being overly aggressive on our dates. But we’re aiming for Q1 right now and we’re really far along in the playtest stage. You know, our thing is always that we’re trying to make really good experiences and so we’re going to manage to that rather than the schedule.”

In related news, these Episode Two clips on YouTube (one, two, three and four) are awesome!

Following the release of the Portal trailer, Valve also shot off a teaser trailer for Team Fortress 2 that will be available with Half-Life 2: Episode Two when it hits this Holiday season. The video showing off the various player classes can be found on 3D Downloads, 3D Gamers, FileFront and Worthplaying.

I don’t usually post links to game movies anymore, but this is Portal we’re talking about! To be included with Half-Life 2: Episode Two, when it’s released this Holiday season, Portal is a game that pushes the idea from Prey much further.

Available in two resolutions, the clip can be found on 3D Downloads, 3D Gamers, Computer Games.ro, FileFront, Filecloud, Gameguru, GameSpot and Worthplaying.

BIG Valve news today! For your sake, the whole thing has been bulletized:

• Half-Life 2: Episode Two, due for release this Holiday season, will be released simultaneously for the PC, Xbox 360 and PS3.

• The next-gen console versions will see enhanced versions plus all Half-Life 2 back content, including Half-Life 2, Episode One and Team Fortress 2.

• This brings us to the revelation of Team Fortress 2, which everyone thought became dead eons ago. Apparently, the game is alive and kicking, and will feature a somewhat-cell-shaded-cartoonish approach, looking a lot like No One Lives Forever and ’60s spy flicks (see image). Players will be able to choose form a range of unique character classes such as medic, spy, sniper, or engineer and must work together to complete a variety of tactical objectives.

• Valve also revealed Portal, a new type of single player game that has a “portal gun” for a weapon. This will change the way players approach, manipulate and solve puzzles in a given environment with the new gun that will let them shoot portals onto walls, objects, and, well, everything!

Concluding their announcement, Valve stated that new videos from Episode Two, Portal and Team Fortress 2 will be released sometime next week.

Having already announced that Episode One has gone gold, Valve announced the release date for Episode Two and confirmed that a third Episode is being planned.

To be available starting June 1, the first episode will cost $20 and will include around four to six hours of gameplay expanding the story of Half-Life 2. Episode Two will continue the story in a similar fashion and will be available by the end of this year. The third Episode will be the last in the trilogy and is planned for release by Christmas 2007.

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.