I'm thinking that this move by Valve has to be at least partly aimed at minimizing any type of concerted online movement to bash the demo by those people still miffed about the sequel coming out already. No one that angry would have pre-ordered the game would they?
Any early reviews about the demo will be made by die-hard fans (die-hard enough to pre-order anyway), allowing for a very positive word-of-mouth campaign in advance of the open demo.
This comment was edited on Oct 24, 2009, 17:12.
"We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far."
"Universal compassion is the only guarantee of morality."