It has been over 20 years since Half-Life 2 came out, and the last two decades have produced libraries worth of rumors and leaks surrounding the long-awaited sequel Half-Life 3.
Half-Life 3 has become a legend in gaming; if we're honest, it will likely never be released.
And yet...
Recently, a string of rumors have pointed to a potential 2025 release.
We'll get into the more technical leaks momentarily, but the teaser stirring up the most interest in the third Gordon Freeman title was a cryptic tweet from Mike Shapiro, the voice actor behind the G-Man.
The tweet features a short clip zoomed in on an abstract painting and the hashtags: Valve, Halflife, GMan and 2025. That tweet was in December but acted as manna for those still wandering the desert searching for Half-Life 3.
The Valve-focused tipster Gabe Follower has recently been stirring the pot with new details, including playtesting, projects, and some story information.
What's new
Gabe Follower claimed in a YouTube video that Valve has a project codenamed HLX, allegedly referencing Half-Life 3. There are other internal group names like "HLXAudio" and "HLXArtists."
Allegedly, the Steam developer has been bringing friends and family for playtesting.
In the video, Gabe Follower also breaks down potential mechanics and tech that we could see in this new game.
These include advanced AI behaviors where NPC enemies would have "thinking levels," meaning that their distance from the player determines the complexity of their behaviors. For example, if the player is close, the NPC might flinch from explosions or warn allies.
He also mentions environmental effects, including different materials reacting to fire uniquely or showing damage from falling or throwing. It could also refer to the Houndeye from the first game and its soundwave attack.
Also, if Half-Life 3 comes out, it will end Gordon Freeman's adventures. "This game will be a farewell gift to the community." No cliffhangers, an end to the actual trilogy.
As mentioned, people have been waiting for Half-Life 3 for over 20 years, and the rumor mill has never stopped churning.
Valve has a famously open-ended development process where things can get quickly dumped if they aren't developing correctly.
So, Valve might be working on Half-Life 3, but none of this guarantees that a new game will come out.
Beyond the in-development hero shooter Deadlock, Valve hasn't released a new game since at least 2020's Half-Life: Alyx, which was for VR. That is if you, like me, don't count Counter-Strike 2, which was more of an engine and graphical update than an actual new Counter-Strike.
So, take all of this with a grain of salt. Perhaps Half-life 3 is coming; most likely it isn't it. I won't believe it until it's actually in my Steam Library.
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