Many gamers bought a Radeon 9800 XT, 9600 XT, All-in-Wonder 9600 Pro, or 9600 SE card this year because the products included a coupon redeemable for a copy of Half-Life 2. Almost assuredly, none those gamers were very happy when, earlier this month, Valve announced its eagerly awaited sequel was being pushed back.

　　In an attempt to salvage its high-profile Q4 2003 promotion, ATI announced this weekend that it is offering a bonus to Radeon-buyers fuming that they won't see Gordon Freeman until spring.

　　Purchasers of the cards who activate their product keys via Valve's Steam Web site will receive a free download of the Valve Premier Pack, which includes the original Half-Life, Counter Strike, Team Fortress Classic, Deathmatch Classic, and Half-Life: Opposing Force and Ricochet.

　　"We understand that our customers are anxious to start playing Half-Life 2," ATI said in an (under)statement on its Web site. The statement went on to stress the Valve Premier Pack offer is good only until Half-Life 2's release, which is scheduled--for the moment--for April 2004.