this post was submitted on 03 Jan 2025
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The more than two decades since Half-Life 2's release have been filled with plenty of rumors and hints about Half-Life 3, ranging from the official-ish to the thin to the downright misleading. As we head into 2025, though, we're approaching something close to a critical mass of rumors and leaks suggesting that Half-Life 3 is really in the works this time, and could be officially announced in the coming months.

The latest tease came just before the end of 2024 via a New Year's Eve social media video from G-Man voice actor Mike Shapiro. In the voice of the mysterious in-game bureaucrat, Shapiro expresses hopes that "the next quarter century [will] deliver as many unexpected surprises as did the millennium's first (emphasis added)... See you in the new year."

...

On its own, a single in-character post from a voice actor would probably be a bit too cryptic to excite Half-Life fans who have seen their sequel hopes dashed so often over the last two decades. But the unexpected tease comes amid a wave of leaks and rumors surrounding "HLX," an internal Valve project that has been referenced in a number of other Source 2 engine game files recently.

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[–] FeelzGoodMan420@eviltoast.org 64 points 3 months ago (2 children)

So cute. Is this your guy's first time falling for a HL3 hype fake-out? It's like watching babies take their first steps.

[–] rockSlayer@lemmy.world 6 points 3 months ago

I won't believe it's happening until it's in the orange box.

[–] DoucheBagMcSwag@lemmy.dbzer0.com 30 points 3 months ago (4 children)

While I'm pretty sure we're getting a new Half Life Game (HLX), it's very likely going to be an Alyx Sequel launching on their Deckard standalone VR headset

[–] zzx@lemmy.world 10 points 3 months ago

Yep I think you're right on the money. Don't get me wrong, I'll enjoy it

[–] vividspecter@lemm.ee 8 points 3 months ago

I'm fine with that, especially if the Deckard is reasonably priced and has first-class Linux support.

[–] G0ldenSp00n@lemmy.jacaranda.club 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

While personally I really want more VR Half Life, I don't think that is what we are getting. Too many leaked strings regarding crowbars and HEV suits. But I guess we will see.

[–] DoucheBagMcSwag@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Seriously? Now that is interesting.... Where is your source on that?

[–] G0ldenSp00n@lemmy.jacaranda.club 2 points 3 months ago

It's Tyler, but he includes the decompiled String in the videos found in other Source 2 games. YouTube Link

[–] p03locke@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Isn't that another "can't count to three" moment?

[–] DoucheBagMcSwag@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 3 months ago

Yeah it is, but Alyx was excellent so I don't mind more of that

[–] AlligatorBlizzard@sh.itjust.works 30 points 3 months ago (2 children)

I agree with everyone else saying this is probably an Alyx sequel for the Deckard headset they're developing...

But if it's legit HL3 it'll be hilarious if they announce it on April 1st.

[–] ptz@dubvee.org 14 points 3 months ago

But if it's legit HL3 it'll be hilarious if they announce it on April 1st.

That would break the internet lol.

[–] G0ldenSp00n@lemmy.jacaranda.club 7 points 3 months ago

Kinda doubt it will be an Alyx sequel, unless there is something new and exciting they can do in that space. Valve doesn't like to make games just to advance the story, and I'm not sure what more they could do in VR.

[–] Bronzebeard@lemm.ee 24 points 3 months ago (4 children)

Because there's nothing else exciting in the game industry right now, so people are looking for any excuse to be hyped.

[–] ampersandrew@lemmy.world 9 points 3 months ago (3 children)

You really feel that way? I've got a list of over 20 games that I'm expecting to come out this year that I'm excited for.

[–] Bronzebeard@lemm.ee 7 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Yes I do. During the winter steam sale I looked at my wishlist and saw that almost everything on it had been sitting there as coming soon for a few years now. I think helldivers was the one game I played that came out in 2024.

[–] ampersandrew@lemmy.world 5 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Well, I don't know that you necessarily represent the consensus with that pessimism. There's Civilization VII, Avowed, Split Fiction, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, and Monster Hunter Wilds coming right in the beginning of the year. Grand Theft Auto 6 has a real shot at making it this year, plus the inevitable Switch 2 launch lineup. There's a lot to be excited for right now before we even get to Half-Life 3s and Silksongs.

[–] oyo@lemm.ee 3 points 3 months ago

I've got silksong (ha) and uhh... Umm...

[–] EldritchFeminity@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 3 months ago (3 children)

I can't speak for everyone, but I think more and more people who aren't in the probably 80% of people who could be considered "casual" gamers are disnechanted with and turning away from the AAA industry and looking more and more to the indie scene. The industry is as stagnant as Hollywood, and for the same reasons. Some of the most popular games in the past few years have been projects made by a single dev that popped up out of nowhere.

Looking at my Steam wishlist, the games coming out this year on there are: Hyper Light Breaker, SYNDUALITY, Space Engineers 2, ERA ONE, KAISERPUNK, The Alters, Gravnir, The Necromancer's Tale, MENACE, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 (yeah, right), Paralives, Mecha BREAK, Dolls Nest, FBC: Firebreak, and Nightreign (and if that wasn't FromSoft, I wouldn't have even finished watching the trailer).

The only game on there that could even be considered close to a AAA game is a spin-off experimental game from FromSoft, who is really a AA studio that's becoming popular enough to be debated as being AAA.

I won't buy from most of the big companies on principle. EA, Activision, Ubisoft, and Rockstar are all on my shit list for horrible business practices and worse working conditions, and Sony is conditional based on whether or not I have to deal with a PSN account - there were several games I was excited for last year releasing on PC that I didn't buy because they require a PSN account for a single player game.

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[–] SteveNashFan@lemmy.world 8 points 3 months ago (2 children)

AAA may be all but dead, (so far gone that even E3 died) but indies have been in a perpetual golden age since Shovel Knight and Undertale came out. And if boomer shooters and Morrowind/Daggerfall can have a modern renaissance, it can happen to other games/genres too.

[–] Katana314@lemmy.world 5 points 3 months ago (1 children)

We see a lot of the gold of indies rising above the crowd, but there’s still lots of indie studios failing. Think of one of your favorite indies, and try checking to see if they’ve made a second game - many don’t even get that far.

[–] SteveNashFan@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

Very true. Sadly game dev is a risky endeavor at the best of times. Steam/other storefronts are very noisy environments for devs with little spare change for marketing. On the flipside, digital distribution and storefronts mean that it's way more feasible to self-publish than it was twenty or thirty years ago. At least, as far as I'm aware. I know there were standouts like Cave Story in the early days.

[–] XenoWarden@midwest.social 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

What’s the deal with the morrowind/daggerfall resurgence? As in those games are making a comeback or spiritual successors?

[–] SteveNashFan@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago

Some YouTube videos came out that launched both into wider discussion. Both never had proper sequels or successors, so they stand as unique experiences even twenty years later. I don't say this to diss modern Bethesda, but that they are both distinct enough from Oblivion and Skyrim to have staying power in their niches.

Daggerfall Unity makes that game playable and smooth on modern hardware, and Morrowind modding projects like Tamriel Rebuilt and Project Tamriel (just released an Anvil expansion!) bring in new and old fans alike. OpenMW does for Morrowind what Unity does for Daggerfall, although stock GOTY Morrowind still runs fine IIIRC.

[–] acosmichippo@lemmy.world 7 points 3 months ago (1 children)

there are specific rumors causing it that the article goes into. not saying it's real, but it's also not just gamers being bored.

[–] Bronzebeard@lemm.ee 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

There's always specific rumors. They're always just rumors. Those rumors are spreading because gamers are bored.

[–] acosmichippo@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

once in a while there are rumors. absolutely not "always".

[–] ptz@dubvee.org 2 points 3 months ago

Will take your word for it. I've been out of the gaming scene for slightly more than a decade. I just saw this and immediately felt like it would be a "must buy" for me even if I have to upgrade my setup. So yeah, for me at least, this is the first game I've been hyped about in a long time.

[–] moosetwin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 17 points 3 months ago (1 children)

On its own, a single in-character post from a voice actor would probably be a bit too cryptic to excite Half-Life fans who have seen their sequel hopes dashed so often over the last two decades.

[–] moosetwin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 3 months ago (1 children)

team fortress 3! give it up for team fortress 3!

[–] Katana314@lemmy.world 6 points 3 months ago (5 children)

Minority opinion, I think there’s a lot they could do for Team Fortress 3.

  • Reset expectations on cosmetics to reduce flaming ghost hats
  • Invent female versions of each merc and a new character/voice for Soldier’s deceased actor
  • Add an unobtrusive mantling system to replace crouch jumping
  • Console crossplay
  • Simplify weapons by making Flare gun and Sandwich defaults for respective classes
  • Retool matchmaking system
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[–] DicJacobus@lemmy.world 13 points 3 months ago (3 children)

My money is on VR related toys again. I have a slightly better feeling about HL3 than I have had in years but I'm old enough to know better

I also, don't care anymore. As far as I'm concerned the industry is getting ready to crash. I'm divesting a lot from. It.

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[–] ptz@dubvee.org 12 points 3 months ago (2 children)

I never bought into VR and couldn't / still can't play Alyx so I'm very excited if this is real since the article calls it out as a non-VR game.

[–] ampersandrew@lemmy.world 18 points 3 months ago (1 children)

There's no way to make a Half-Life 3 without acknowledging at least one big moment in Alyx, perhaps even in a reveal trailer. If you can borrow it from someone, I'd recommend it. If there's something physically stopping you from playing it for some reason, I'd recommend at least checking out the ending, pre- and post-credits, on YouTube.

[–] ptz@dubvee.org 9 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I don't have VR gear,and basically have no desire to buy into it. I have read the synopsis of each chapter on TV Tropes, though, so I'm at least familiar with the story. I may also see if I can find a "Let's play" video and watch through that.

SpoilerAbout how Alyx traded places with Gordon so G-Man would save Eli's life at the end of HL2:E2, I assume is what you're referring to.

[–] ampersandrew@lemmy.world 8 points 3 months ago

That spoiler is what I'm referring to. If you only read about it, I think the delivery of it is worth seeing. Obviously it's better to participate in it yourself, but I appreciate the way the dialogue is specifically written and delivered to almost break the fourth wall.

[–] Grass@sh.itjust.works 5 points 3 months ago (2 children)

IIRC there is a non vr mod for the game, but no idea how enjoyable it would be

[–] ampersandrew@lemmy.world 8 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Having played the game in VR, I think what feels like an appropriate scale for a firefight in VR would feel underwhelming and small in non-VR.

[–] frezik@midwest.social 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Agreed. They really limit how many enemies you face at once in that game. Any more would be unplayably difficult.

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[–] ptz@dubvee.org 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Yeah, I recall hearing about that a good while back, but like you said, dunno how enjoyable it would be. From my understanding, much of the game mechanics are designed for VR.

It would be like eating soup with a fork

[–] blackstrat@lemmy.fwgx.uk 6 points 3 months ago

Man suggests the next 25 years may have some surprises - world goes nuts.

[–] Nexy@lemmy.sdf.org 3 points 3 months ago

Not gonna happen, and you know it

[–] nutsack@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

if it's not pcvr i don't care 💅😘✨

[–] GeneralEmergency@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

Gamers are starting to see Valve as the monopolistic scum they are and Gaben is panicking.

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