The highly anticipated game, Half-Life 3, is no longer just a rumor; it is reportedly “playable from start to finish.”
This exciting revelation comes from Valve insider Tyler McVicker, who suggests that fans might finally see an announcement for this iconic sequel as early as summer 2025, with a possible release slated for winter 2025 (Q4).
Strong indications—albeit without explicit confirmation—point to Valve actively working on a significant new project in the Half-Life universe, codenamed HLX. A credible report from last summer highlighted datamined assets and code snippets, providing further backing to previous leaks involving an actor likely associated with the title.
I’ll delve into some specifics after the video below, but do proceed with caution as it may contain spoilers for the upcoming game…
As mentioned in a report by Engadget, during a recent livestreamed Q&A, McVicker shared an abundance of hints about what players can expect. A critical point he made clear is that “the game is not VR. Half-Life 3 is not a VR title.”
“HLX is undergoing extensive playtesting with such frequency that whispers will inevitably get out,” McVicker stated. “I personally steer clear of any story-related inquiries, but I’ve been approached by some trustworthy individuals who have hinted at plot details.”
In an intriguing tease, he mentioned the potential return of Chell from the Portal series in Half-Life 3, adding, “Erik Wolpaw is itching to make Portal 3, so it’s definitely in the cards.” This makes it seem plausible that the next single-player project could be Portal 3, especially depending on upcoming retirements post-Half-Life 3.
“This is the farthest HLX has progressed. Period,” he asserted. “The game is fully playable from end to end. No other Half-Life projects have reached this level before. They are currently optimizing and polishing the experience, possibly being locked in terms of content or mechanics.”
He also discussed the procedural generation system, clarifying that it has often been misunderstood. “Valve is approaching this by enhancing the AI Director from Left 4 Dead 2, making it significantly more sophisticated. It won’t be altering the game world itself but will influence the positioning of entities like doors, props, enemies, and items—a nuanced system that won’t affect the narrative.”
What we do know with certainty is that Half-Life 3 has been in development since 2013/2014, initially envisioned as a procedurally-generated, replayable experience that combined elements from Left 4 Dead with scripted story moments. However, it faced cancellation due to reliance on the incomplete Source 2 engine.
