2024 has become the year when we realized: Valve is seriously working on a new game in the legendary Half-Life series. This summer, well-known data miner Gabe Follower shared details about how the new Half-Life will differ from other games in the series. He claimed that we would be seeing gameplay with gravity mechanics, as well as a large portion of Xen.

Today, Gabe Follower released an update video in which he states that the concept for Half-Life 3 has reached the internal playtesting stage. This means that the project is currently being tested by Valve employees and their close associates. This is usually the toughest and most critical phase, as the game could be canceled based on the results of internal playtesting.

However, everything points to the fact that we will indeed see Half-Life 3, and possibly sooner than expected. Firstly, a large documentary about Half-Life 2 and the anniversary update of the game would hardly have been made if there were no plans for the future. Secondly, it's worth recalling that each new Half-Life installment was essentially revolutionary.

In the case of Half-Life: Alyx, Valve also promoted its own VR headset. There have long been rumors that Valve plans to create a complete gaming ecosystem, which will include a living room setup. Imagine if Valve suddenly releases Steam Machines 2, ready to compete with PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch, and alongside the hardware, Half-Life 3 is also launched? That would be a massive sensation — and Valve loves that.

It feels like releasing a new Half-Life is a matter of honor for Valve. Given that Team Fortress 2 concluded with a comic, why not have something similar (even if it's late) for the company’s flagship franchise?

Main image: alphacoders.com

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