After a lot ready yesterday, I’ve some horrible information. On the twenty seventh anniversary of Half-Life, Valve’s first sport and a first-person shooter traditional that served as the inspiration for the corporate as we all know it, Half-Life 3 was not confirmed.
However – and stick with me right here – Half-Life 3 may nonetheless be occurring.
You is perhaps confused, and that’s comprehensible given the 12 months so far. However Half-Life 3, the sequel that Valve by no means actually confirmed it was engaged on? Half-Life 3, which had rumors galore for the higher a part of a decade after which light from existence? Half-Life 3, which many builders apparently tried to create on the studio, however it acquired shut down each single time.
Sure, that one – or perhaps a unique iteration than what was in growth at Valve in some unspecified time in the future. The purpose is, it’s in all probability occurring for actual this time. Hopefully.
This wouldn’t be the primary time this 12 months that rumors actually began to realize traction, and mockingly sufficient, it was additionally round Summer season Recreation Fest and earlier than Gamescom. A challenge internally codenamed HLX had made the rounds, and long-time insider Tyler McVicker claimed it was “playable end-to-end” (and that it was additionally Half-Life 3). In August, it was allegedly within the ultimate section of growth, and this time, Gabe Follower – who supplied particulars for Impasse earlier than its announcement – reported that it was within the sprucing stage.
After which, for a lot of weeks, as numerous occasions handed us by, there was relative silence. Till the top of October, when McVicker re-emerged to report on updates to the Supply 2 Engine, and the addition of a brand new asset group known as “Science.”
Issues actually began to kick into movement after Valve introduced its Steam {Hardware} – specifically the Steam Body, Steam Machine and new Steam Controller. Gabe Follower said that plans for HLX remained unchanged, and it might nonetheless be “aiming for a 2025 announcement.” McVicker would observe up with expectations of a Twitch stream throughout the subsequent two weeks, which implies someday by November thirty first.
At this level, you’re in all probability questioning if it’s really occurring. If there’s smoke, there’s Black Mesa struggling one other interdimensional disaster that the navy must include, and all that jazz. We’ve seen this music and dance of rumors earlier than. Subsequent, I’ll be telling you about how Bloodborne Remastered is admittedly occurring.
However right here’s the place issues take an odd flip. Mike Straw of Insider Gaming mentioned a “massive announcement” from Valve can be coming within the subsequent few weeks (and that it’s not at The Recreation Awards). Tom Henderson, who has a powerful observe report as an insider, mentioned, “I’ve heard there’s a giant sport popping out in March that I can’t say simply but. However lots of people are trying ahead to it. We’ll see within the subsequent couple of weeks if we’re gonna speak about it.”
Straw would additionally say on X that, “It’s occurring quickly sufficient. Simply be prepared.” So why no announcement, even when there’s time to spare? Certainly, one thing on Half-Life’s twenty seventh anniversary would make sense, proper? Certainly, Gabe N. isn’t laughing at us on his new super-yacht?
That’s the place NateTheHate, one other dependable insider, is available in. After confirming that he’s heard about HLX/Half-Life 3, he revealed that there are “very combined issues” happening with the timing of the announcement. When requested if it might be on the anniversary and even the next day, he merely responded, “Not sure. One bit of information I used to be given prompt it might occur at midday at present, which has come and gone. I’m not going to share something till I’ve a consensus on specifics.” There are apparently a “lot of dates circulating,” and he received’t share extra on something till one thing, be it a launch window or reveal, turns into clearer.
And if that wasn’t sufficient, Sean Hollister of The Verge reported seeing safety guards at Valve’s HQ when invited to take a look at the Steam {Hardware}. “I’ve by no means seen guards throughout earlier Valve journeys — and perhaps they have been solely there that day,” he mentioned, earlier than posting an image of a Steam Machine with a customized entrance that had a brand with the letter “H” and a censored banner laid on high.
Like a Silksong fan roadmap earlier than it was lastly launched, we’re at present right here. So, is Half-Life 3 occurring or not? Formally, nobody can actually say. Heck, for all we all know, Valve could possibly be on the brink of announce an open beta for Impasse within the coming weeks, if not launching the identical by The Recreation Awards.
And but, it’s clear there’s one thing to those rumors. It could be one factor if it have been the same old insiders sharing updates, however this time, others who cowl the business as a complete are reporting it as nicely. Nobody can ever be appropriate one hundred pc of the time. However, smoke and hearth, and whatnot.
Take this from somebody who initially dismissed McVicker’s experiences, however personally, I feel it’s occurring. Why? Due to the Steam Machine, and no, not as a result of it will likely be an unique or something. It’s as a result of the {hardware} is basically Valve’s strongest foray but into the lounge PC market. With Microsoft delving extra into handheld PCs and a extra unified ecosystem for its video games, you’ll be able to wager that Valve is trying to remind everybody what the dominant PC storefront is.
And what higher manner to try this than to launch Half-Life 3, some of the anticipated video games and sequels of all time?
The opposite motive is that moreover displaying up the PS5 and Xbox Collection X at their very own sport, in their very own market, there really aren’t any different lands to overcome. Valve has executed all of it – created among the hottest free-to-play titles on the earth, cemented its legacy with among the finest video games ever made, established a storefront that’s the default, and even delivered a powerful handheld PC whereas its opponents scrambled.
There are admittedly many different objectives left and a number of other different sequels that it may make, however Half-Life is a standout as a result of its story is inherently unfinished. And if it had no intention of offering a follow-up, it seemingly wouldn’t have gone to lengths to retcon the ending of Half-Life 2: Episode 2 with the occasions of Half-Life: Alyx.
Sure, that is Valve we’re speaking about – even when it isn’t a mainline title, who may have predicted that Half-Life: Alyx can be VR-exclusive? However such circumstances all the time go each methods. If it needed to simply announce Half-Life 3 as a PC unique and launch it a number of months later, identical to it deliberate with Half-Life 2 (earlier than it acquired delayed), then advertising cycles be damned – nothing can cease them.
In fact, till it’s really introduced, there’s nothing left to do however wait. Perhaps such rumors will fall by the wayside but once more as we’re preoccupied with The Recreation Awards and its “World Premieres.” Maybe every part will wind down in time for the vacations, and we’ll overlook all the excitement round a potential Half-Life 3 or no matter HLX is meant to be. After which while you least anticipate it, there will probably be an announcement and a launch window as a result of that’s simply how Valve is.
Notice: The views expressed on this article are these of the writer and don’t essentially signify the views of, and shouldn’t be attributed to, GamingBolt as a corporation.
