Half-Life 3: 5 Reasons It Might Happen Soon and 5 It Might Not

Half-Life 3: 5 Reasons it Might Happen Soon, and 5 It Might Not

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re discussing 10 reasons for and against Half-Life 3 being released soon. Be warned, there are major spoilers for the entire series ahead!

#5: Might Not - Valve Have Never Made a Third Game

Valve has numerous series, such as “Left 4 Dead”, “Half-Life”, “Portal”, “Dota”, and “Counter-Strike”. Something they all have in common, is that none of them have third games. Sure, “Half-Life 2: Episode One” is technically the third game in the series, but they conveniently titled it “Episode One”. They also notoriously never released “Half-Life 2: Episode Three”. No one knows why they’re so afraid of trilogies, some think they are focused on other projects like Steam and the Steam Deck. They also like to innovate in all their titles, but it could be difficult to innovate for three games in a row. When it comes to Half-Life 3, Valve could feel it’s impossible to match the quality of the previous titles.

#5: Might Happen - Half-Life: Alyx’s Ending

“Half-Life: Alyx” is considered one of the best VR games of all time, and was the first major entry in the series since 2007. It’s set between the first two games, showing Alyx’s story before Freeman returned to City 17. Towards the end of the game, Alyx frees the G-Man from prison, intending to release Freeman. He gives Alyx a reward of her choice, which is to save her dad Eli from dying, which happens at the end of episode two. This retcons the ending, which writers said was particularly difficult to follow up. G-Man also captures Alyx, and it ends with Eli and Gordon deciding they must save her, thus opening up the possibility for a new entry, with Gordon as the lead.

#4: Might Not - Valve Rarely Make Games

In the 2000s, Valve was releasing at least one game a year, except 2002. This was a wildly productive period for them, which saw them become giants of the industry. They still release games, but it’s way more rare. “Counter-Strike 2” and “Half-Life: Alyx” are their only major releases this decade, and the former felt like just an upgraded version of “Global Offensive”. It’s not like they haven’t been working hard though, with the Steam Deck being the most powerful handheld on the market. They also maintain the competitive “Counter-Strike” and “Dota” scenes, and obviously, they manage Steam, a service used by over a hundred million gamers monthly.

#4: Might Happen - Half-Life 2 Documentary Teasing

Their recent “Half-Life 2” documentary, celebrating the game’s 20th anniversary, had some major hints towards a new entry in the series. “Half-Life” was a tool for Valve to innovate, which it did wonderfully for its first two games. “Alyx” kept up this trend, being the most innovative VR game to ever release. The documentary ended with Gabe Newell saying there was no shortage of opportunities for innovation in the industry right now. Either he’s trying to motivate another company to come along and innovate, or he’s heavily implying that he and the team are cooking something big.

#3: Might Not - Half-Life 3 Story Leak in 2017

Marc Laidlaw was the lead writer for the “Half-Life” series, working for Valve right up until 2016, when he left the company. Only a year after leaving, Laidlaw published the story for the next “Half-Life” title in his blog. It was called “Epistle 3”, and had all the names changed and genders swapped, for copyright reasons. Many thought it was the plan for “Half-Life 2: Episode Three”, which he denied, but later expressed regret for leaking. It’s doubtful that Valve will carry it out as he wrote, especially with the developments of “Half-Life: Alyx”. Some wonder if this leak was enough to put them off continuing the series entirely, but it could have just motivated them to alter the story.

#3: Might Happen - Talking Candidly About Episode 3

Valve is famously secretive about the games they develop. For years, no one knew if Half-Life 3 was ever on the table, and it became a myth. In their recent documentary, they talked more openly about Episode 3 than ever before. It turns out they paused the episode, needing more developers for “Left 4 Dead”, which was well worth it. Afterwards, they discussed going back to Episode 3, but believed they were too late to put it out. Now, they believe this was a mistake, and wish they had gone back to the title. The documentary also revealed small snippets of gameplay, concept art, and discussed what they made.

#2: Might Not - Fear of Disappointment

Both the first two “Half-Life” games were incredibly successful. On release, they were both considered the upper echelon of single-player shooters. For years, many believed “Half-Life 2” was the greatest game of all time, and 20 years later, it still holds up. Granted, it’s probably not still the best, but the argument was credible for a long while. Hence, the expectations for a sequel are immense, and Valve worries they might not live up to them. Thus, many believe this is a strong reason against it ever releasing. On the other hand, Source 2 is finally available, and the engine might deliver the experience fans desire.

#2: Might Happen - Hiring More Experienced Staff

YouTuber Tyler McVicker has done an admirable job at discovering Half-Life 3 information. He discovered that Valve went on a mass hiring spree early on in the decade. They hired numerous former employees, and experienced developers from companies like Naughty Dog and Sucker Punch. They could be hired just to work on “Deadlock”, but given the other points mentioned today, it’s unlikely it’s the only game they’re working on. McVicker also discovered in the “Deadlock” files evidence of surface properties being added. This includes heat conductivity and flashpoints, so materials can realistically combust. This is an interesting feature, and McVicker is optimistic it’ll be used in the next “Half-Life” title.

#1: Might Not - Valve’s Shift in Focus

“Half-Life 3” might not be the next entry they’re working on, there’s a strong chance it could instead be similar to “Alyx”, and is sort of a spin-off. Their focus could be on taking the series in a different direction, which no one can predict. For example, “Portal” is set in the same universe as “Half-Life”. So, maybe their next title is something new entirely, which could blend the two series. The direction could be even more unpredictable, with them seeking to drift away from the previously planned Arctic expeditions. There’s also the chance it’s an entirely new series, but only time will tell.

#1: Might Happen - Half-Life 2’s Newest Update

After 20 years, a brand new update for “Half-Life 2” was released, coinciding with the anniversary documentary. It includes in-game workshop support, updated graphics, and it’s integrated the episodes into the original game. Additionally, they’re currently working to introduce ray tracing to the title, which would give it an amazing graphical overhaul. They could just be doing this because they love the game, but a lot of people feel like they’re teasing something more. If they are going to make Half-Life 3, then surely it makes sense to test their new engine out first, and this update just might be that.

Do you think Half-Life 3 is finally on the horizon, or are we just setting ourselves up to be disappointed? Leave your thoughts in the comments!