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The clues pointing to Half-Life 3 are piling up: New Valve {hardware}, insider leaks, and teasers from Geoff Keighley are sparking new hope
It’s in all probability the oldest working gag in online game historical past, however proper now, many followers appear to have a lump of their throats – from pleasure! Reviews, analyses, and insider statements are at the moment flooding the web, pointing to an imminent reveal of Half-Life 3.
The present wave of hypothesis has been triggered by a mixture of yesterday’s twenty seventh anniversary of the primary installment of the collection, the latest unveiling of latest Valve {hardware}, and conspicuous observations on the developer’s headquarters – concrete clues that might transcend mere wishful considering.
{Hardware} reveal with out software program raises questions
The bone of competition for the present wave of rumors lies in final week: Valve surprisingly unveiled new {hardware}: the Steam Machine, the Steam Body (a brand new VR headset), and a brand new Steam Controller. What was hanging, nonetheless, was the absence of any software program bulletins.
This could contradict the technique that Valve has lately pursued efficiently. Whereas the launch of the primary Steam Machine in 2015 befell with out its personal sport and flopped, the builders relied on accompanying software program for newer {hardware} releases. Consider the tech demo Aperture Desk Job for the Steam Deck and, above all, the VR flagship Half-Life: Alyx for the Valve Index.
Insider stories at the moment are filling this vacuum: Business consultants comparable to “Nate the Hate“ and ”Shpeshal_Nick” report from sources that anticipate a software program presentation to comply with the {hardware} announcement shortly. The latter acknowledged on the X platform that he had acquired data that Valve wished to current {hardware} final week and software program this week:
Most likely deep sufficient into the week to know this isn’t taking place proper now
Final week I bought a DM that Valve was displaying off {hardware} “this week” (final week) and software program “subsequent week” (this week)
This software program was allegedly Half Life 3. Therefore my warning with my tweet. “Large if” https://t.co/aVN9XOcYnL
— Shpeshal Nick (@Shpeshal_Nick) November 18, 2025
Mission “HLX” and elevated safety
Aside from the temporal correlation, there are technical indications which have been preoccupying the group for months. Dataminers have repeatedly discovered references to a venture codenamed “HLX” in updates to the Supply 2 engine and different Valve titles.
Analyses recommend that this can be a full-fledged, non-VR title within the Half-Life universe that has been in improvement since at the least 2021. Effectively-known leaker Tyler McVicker claimed again in Could of this 12 months that this venture is inner at Valve!
Sean Hollister from The Verge supplied one other piece of the puzzle: As a part of the press preview for the brand new Valve {hardware}, he visited the corporate’s headquarters and reported unusually strict safety measures.
Not like earlier visits, comparable to to Half-Life: Alyx, Hollister stated the place was swarming with safety personnel. That is seen within the report as a sign that Valve is at the moment shielding tasks that aren’t but meant for even invited members of the press.
“Mission White Sands” and hints from voice actors
The present rumor mill is additional fueled by leaks from folks concerned within the manufacturing. As early as 2024, the identify “Mission White Sands” appeared within the resume of a voice actress, which was rapidly linked to Valve.
Added to this can be a cryptic submit by the voice actor of the G-Man, who initially of the 12 months promised “sudden surprises” for 2025.
#Valve #Halflife #GMan #2025 pic.twitter.com/mdT5hlxKJT
— Mike Shapiro (@mikeshapiroland) December 31, 2024
Attentive observers may also discover inconsistencies on the Steam platform itself: The sidebar for “Upcoming Releases” at the moment lists two entries, however when clicked, solely the sport Impasse is displayed. Such discrepancies are sometimes interpreted by the group as placeholders for hidden retailer pages.
Geoff Keighley’s want listing teaser
Simply how delicate the group is at the moment reacting to the slightest hints was demonstrated by an motion taken by Geoff Keighley. The presenter shared a screenshot on social media, really simply to attract consideration to the presence of the “Sport Awards” on Steam. Nevertheless, followers didn’t miss a element within the margin: there was precisely one title on Keighley’s personal want listing.
When the group pressed him to disclose which sport it was, Keighley merely responded with a significant eye emoji:
what’s the 1 sport that you’ve got wishlisted
— Wario64 (@Wario64) November 17, 2025
This sparked hypothesis within the feedback that he was hinting on the unveiling of Half-Life 3 on the upcoming awards. Despite the fact that Keighley later revealed that he had added the sport “Dadlympics” a day later, followers contemplate the unique teaser to be a deliberate tease – and are questioning which sport was on his want listing earlier than that.
The knowledge state of affairs is at the moment extra dense than in earlier years, however official affirmation remains to be pending: Yesterday’s celebrated anniversary of the collection handed with out the “Shadow Drop” announcement that many had hoped for. All eyes at the moment are on the approaching weeks.
If the speculation that Valve is planning to unveil the software program shortly after the {hardware} proves to be true, the following few days might be decisive. Alternatively, December 11, the date of the Sport Awards, is taken into account a possible venue for an unveiling – although Valve wouldn’t want this stage for HL3.
So the state of affairs stays one through which skepticism is suitable, however the advanced details are tough to disregard. In the event you’re ready for the continuation of the Gordon Freeman story, the present interval till the tip of the 12 months is extra thrilling than it has been in a very long time.
