A reputable leaker has spotted increased playtests for HLX, rumoured to be Half-Life 3, hinting that an announcement could be made next year.
Will Half-Life 3 be announced before GTA VI drops? Potentially. According to reputable leaker and data miner Gabe Follower, Valve has been conducting playtests for “HLX” (believed to be Half-Life 3) over the last few months. Follower also revealed that HLX has begun playtests for family and friends of Valve devs in the past few months. While this is hopeful news, fans should not get too excited until an official announcement is made.
Follower has been known for his history of leaking similar information on previous Valve titles, most notably Deadlock last year. Deadlock, Valve’s upcoming team-based multiplayer MOBA/shooter, saw several delays due to feedback during playtest sessions. Also, Valve delayed Half Life Alyx, its VR game, for one year to re-write the story. So, the current playtests for HLX (maybe Half-Life 3) may not mean much.
It has been 17 years since players last saw Gordon Freeman in Half-Life 2 Episode 2 in a cliffhanger ending. Any original hopes died when Half-Life 2: Episode 3 was ultimately cancelled. To back more of Follower’s claims, they also point out that, according to LinkedIn, Valve has recruited several new developers, including some ex-staffers who have worked on Half-Life and Left 4 Dead.
Other Half-Life 3 leaks from this year include Uncharted-inspired level design, vastly improved physics, a grenade launcher, destructible NPCs, new fire mechanics and an upgradeable HEV suit. While much of this information should be taken with a grain of salt, it is clear that Valve has been working on something for these rumours to have started.
Hopes are high, as Valve stated after the release of Half-Life: Alyx, “We’re not afraid of Half-Life no more,” and the ending of the VR spin-off even set up a sequel when Gordon Freeman took back his crowbar. With more leaks and playtests, next year could finally be the year of a Half-Life 3 reveal. As for when Half-Life 3 could potentially be released, it remains to be seen, but Follower’s claims on his YouTube channel suggest the game is progressing well.