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In Half-Life 2, the Gravity Gun is the Zero Point Energy Field Manipulator: a fictional device that lets Gordon Freeman pull in, hold, drop, shove, and launch objects in the environment. It works as both a world-interaction tool and a combat option. The controls below are those documented in the Prima Official guide; your key bindings may differ.

What is the Gravity Gun?

The Gravity Gun is the common name for Half-Life 2’s Zero Point Energy Field Manipulator, also called the Physics Cannon. It is a game weapon, not a real device that manipulates gravity. The Prima Official Half-Life 2 guide has a dedicated section explaining its operation.

Rather than firing conventional ammunition, the tool interacts with objects in the game world. You can draw in an object, hold or drop it, and propel it forward; at close range, it can also shove objects away. This makes it useful for moving obstacles and using the environment during combat.

What can it pick up and do?

  • Pull in and hold: The guide demonstrates drawing in a lightweight object such as a paint can.
  • Drop: Release an object you are holding.
  • Launch: Fire a held object forward, turning suitable objects into projectiles.
  • Shove: Use a close-range burst to push an object away.
  • Move larger objects: The guide also describes picking up larger objects such as a crate.

What you can manipulate depends on the object and the situation in the game; the guide’s examples illustrate the basic interactions rather than promising that every object behaves the same way.

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Controls documented in the Prima guide

Action Guide-documented control
Pull in an object or drop a held object Right-click
Launch a held object or shove an object at close range Left-click
Switch back to the previous weapon G

These are the bindings in the cited guide, not a guarantee for every edition, platform, or customized control layout. Check the game’s control settings if an input does not match.

Why does the Gravity Gun become a “super” Gravity Gun?

A Game Developer retrospective reports that the enhanced “super-gravity gun” was created after the team had concluded the Gravity Gun was a successful element of the game. That account establishes the development context without requiring assumptions about the team’s broader design intent: Game Developer’s retrospective.

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Half-Life 2 (PC)
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Was a real Gravity Gun replica made?

Yes. NECA announced a 1:1 Gravity Gun replica in 2013 and later posted preorder information for a Zero-Point Energy Field Manipulator replica. Those historical announcements establish that a prop was announced, not that it is currently sold or available: NECA’s replica announcement and NECA’s preorder information.

If considering a secondhand collectible, verify the seller, condition, included parts, and evidence of authenticity before buying. The announcements do not establish present stock or price.

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Looking for a Gravity Gun guide or collectible?

For instructions and reference, the Half-Life 2 Prima guide is a relevant book search because it includes a dedicated Gravity Gun section. Its current edition status and retail inventory are not established by the available publication information. A replica serves a different purpose: it is a display collectible, and its current availability likewise needs confirmation.

When comparing either option, check what you actually need: instructional content versus display, edition or authenticity evidence, completeness and condition, and the full current price. Do not assume an old announcement means a product is still in stock.

Quick Recap

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Half-Life 2 (PC)
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Used Book in Good Condition
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Bestseller No. 3
Bestseller No. 4
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Half-Life 2 - PC
Sequel to the hit first-person shooter; Realistic physics: objects have varied and appropriate mass, density, physical properties
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Half-Life 2: Episode Pack - PC
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Battle new alien foes.; Drive new vehicles through new locations beyond City 17.; Discover more about the award-winning story of Half-Life.
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  • Battle new alien foes.
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  • Realistic physics: objects have varied and appropriate mass, density, physical properties
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