Valve leaks suggest Half-Life 3 is real and closer than ever

New leaks and a flood of hires suggest Half-Life 3 is in the works. According to Gabe Follower, a YouTuber who lives and breathes Valve games, there’s good reason to believe Half-Life X (HLX) is the real deal.

For those who forgot (or maybe blocked it out), 2007’s Half-Life 2: Episode Two left fans with a painful cliffhanger and had players begging for more. Since then, Valve has teased and trolled us with hints about a third installment – always falling short of actual confirmation.

But according to Gabe Follower’s deep dives, HLX might finally be what we’ve been waiting for.

In a 15-minute video, he detailed his findings. HLX, a secretive project, which started just after the completion of Half-Life: Alyx, has been in development for nearly five years.

Gabe Follower

Gabe Follower points out that Valve’s been quietly hiring some serious talent – modders, new grads, and game industry veterans. These experts, who’ve worked on heavy-hitters like Doom, Fortnite, and Red Dead Redemption, have been dropping hints about their involvement online.

In 2021, Valve started tweaking code. According to Gabe Follower, they began erasing “HLVR” (Half-Life VR) mentions and replacing them with “HLX.”

Even better, leaks show updates to the Source 2 engine, hinting at dynamic weather, new vehicles, and revamped NPC behavior. Gabe Follower notes that Valve’s known for hiding sequels behind code names – just like they did with “L4DX” for Left 4 Dead 3.

Gabe Follower says the changes to Source 2 are a sign that Valve’s tech might finally be up to the task. They’ve failed before – previous Half-Life 3 prototypes got shelved due to engine limitations. But now, it looks like they’re ready to push boundaries.

Follower’s analysis suggests Valve is playing its cards close to the chest but laying the groundwork for something big. It could be the long-awaited sequel – or another expertly crafted tease. Either way, the evidence is stacking up, and it’s hard not to get excited.