: Be cautious when downloading "No-Steam" software from third-party sites, as these files are not official Valve releases and may carry security risks. Official versions are available on the Steam Store . Half-Life 2 on Steam

: Since the official release required an internet connection to activate via Steam, hackers created "No-Steam" versions that used an emulator (like Goldberg EMU or early Rev.ini configurations) to let the game run completely offline and without a Steam account.