Half-Life 2 release date

[Rifter]

If this has already been posted I appologize. I've tried searching, but came up empty handed.
Question: Can anyone confirm the Nov.12, 2003 release date of Half-Life 2? I went to a gamestop store the other day and the guy working there told me that it is a definite that they will have the game on that day. I was thinking he was telling me this so that I would reserve a copy. I've searched the net, and like most come up with mixed dates. I asked the guy working at Gamestop several times to make sure what he was saying was being heard right. If it is true I'll be happy with the other thousands of ppl out there.

[d!g!talhardcore]

The only word you should trust is from vALVE themselves. They havent said anything at all regarding a date since the source code and playable builds were stolen. Don't count on it coming out this year, I hope I'm wrong, but I seriously doubt it.

[Ocean]

damn, its this soon? i thought it was april, time to go buy a 9800 :(

[Wacheif]

all that stuff about it being april was from a single employee of vivendi... and that employee is no longer workin there... vivdendi as a company and valve have no confirmed the april 2004 release date... but valve is saying the holidays... so we will see...

[arturo238]

I heard that it was moved to April. I can definately say that it will not be nov. 12 so dont worry about that.

[SKYHN]

I heard Gabe Newell has a pet Turtle named Freeman.

[Wacheif]

now that would be scary O_o