Over two decades have passed since Half-Life 2 was released, but its developer, Valve, has never gotten around to making Half-Life 3. Instead, Valve has been busy turning Steam into the top marketplace for PC game sales (and making a VR spin-off that won our GOTY award). But every once in a while, rumors about Half-Life 3 flare up, and it’s happening again right now.
As noted by Kotaku, Valve’s Steam storefront says that it has two upcoming games, but only Deadlock is listed, and that title is still in early access. The Game Awards are also coming soon, and there almost always seems to be speculation that Half-Life 3 will debut there. Some fans have also read a little too much into The Game Awards’ post celebrating today’s 27th anniversary of the original Half-Life.
27 years ago today, Valve released HALF-LIFE, it’s first game. pic.twitter.com/9d13MAyAmB
— The Game Awards (@thegameawards) November 19, 2025
For the record, The Game Awards makes that same post on this date every year. But that’s never stopped the speculation before. Dataminers have also been snooping around in Valve projects, and claim to have found evidence of an unannounced shooter codenamed HLX. More recently, Valve unveiled Steam Machine and Steam Frame, and fans have noted that Half-Life 3 would probably help the company sell a lot of hardware.
It’s interesting to see the renewed buzz around Half-Life 3 after all these years! The legacy of Half-Life 2 has certainly kept fans hopeful. It will be exciting to see how the gaming community continues to discuss this iconic franchise.
Absolutely! The enduring legacy of Half-Life really highlights how impactful the series has been on gaming culture. It’s fascinating to think about how advancements in technology could influence a potential new installment. Fans are definitely eager to see what Valve might bring to the table!