Valve has started to taunt dataminers looking for details on Half-Life 3 as the long-awaited game reportedly continues development following an alleged delay.
A new Half-Life game has been in-development at Valve for some time. Over the last few years, dataminers have scraped every possible Source 2 update for evidence of the game which has been labelled as “HLX” by Valve, but there’s been no official confirmation from the studio.
Originally, it was claimed that the game would launch alongside the very-expensive Steam Machine, which is now confirmed to not be true. However, leakers are still claiming that the near-mythical Half-Life 3 is in active development.
While dataminers attempt to look for new information regarding the title in SteamOS and Source 2 updates, Valve has publicly trolled those looking for scraps of information. Discovered by Valve leaker GabeFollower, who previously leaked HLX information and Deadlock info, discovered a new string inside DOTA 2’s latest update.
Previously, references to HLX were found within DOTA 2’s variables, and Valve has taken a specific shot at those looking for more. Within the update, one string reads: “m_bHackWhyAreYouGuysReadingOurVartiableNames”.
In a recent video by Valve insider Tyler McVicker, who has a pretty strong track record, it was claimed that Half-Life 3—or whatever it’ll actually be called—has been internally delayed at Valve.
McVicker reports that development has ramped up now “that a delay has occurred” which means those working on the project now have “more time”. While some developers were said to be moving onto other projects, the leaker reports that they “have actually returned to the HLX team”.
The development claims of Half-Life 3 have been constant this past year. At one point, it was claimed that developers working on the project were no longer crunching; at another point it was claimed that the game was completely finished and Valve were waiting for the Steam Machine to launch the game.
In a video on TikTok and YouTube, former Half-Life 2 writer Chet Faliszek mocked claims that the game’s crunch period was over near the end of development. “There’s never crunch towards the end of a project,” the developer joked. “There’s never a rush, there’s never a scramble to try and fix all the bugs or get or the content in or playtest to make sure there’s nothing broken or missing.”
As of right now, there is no official word that Half-Life 3 is in development. Additionally, there is no proposed release date for the game. At the time of writing, the only official Half-Life project knowingly in the works is Half-Life 2 RTX which is not made by Valve.
