Orange Box PC Hard Copy or Steam...

The hard copy is cheaper and I am a hard copy junkie, so i'd sway toward that...but, I am worried if it will still be a steam game if i dont buy it on the steam platform...Will I still be able to open the steam menu in-game? Will I be able to instantly join my friends in a game?

I bought hard copy of TF2 cuz it was real cheap at this one store... it works fine with steam bud.

Works exactly the same as a steam bought version of the game.. you can chat to friends, bring up your steam menu,etc..

You have to install it through steam so yes everything works.

Any Valve games, hard copy and digital/steam, function exactly the same, so you won't have to worry at all.

valve/steam ftw!!!

yeah, bought the hard copy, thanks guys.