Half-Life updated after 18 years — Half-Life Episode 3 may release within a year

September 6 — Tyler, a long-time Valve leaker who has tracked Valve’s public codebase updates since 2017, revealed that in August the company’s coding activity reached its highest point in nearly a decade. Data extracted from the latest patches suggests Valve is developing a new Half-Life game, very likely Episode 3. Tyler speculates that, judging by the current progress, the game may be unveiled within a year.

Another leaker, McVicker, has also been dropping hints over the past year. In updates for Counter-Strike 2, DOTA 2, and Deadlock, he found content unrelated to those games but directly connected to the Half-Life series. The code indicates a new project codenamed “HLX” will feature procedural level transitions, ray tracing, and AMD FSR. It is not a VR game, nor a sequel to Half-Life: Alyx.

The most recent CS2 update even contained clear Half-Life references. These included mentions of enemy AI—irrelevant to a purely multiplayer shooter—and at least two references to the “Combine,” the main antagonists in Half-Life 2. Some of the code suggests HLX may introduce fluid simulation, though it remains unclear whether this relates to gameplay mechanics or rendering technology. Further signs show the project has already entered the optimization phase, implying its core content is essentially complete.

According to TechSpot on September 5, the recent leaks from Valve extend beyond Half-Life. Patents, code, images, and other materials suggest the company is also preparing at least two new hardware products, potentially to be revealed next year.

A device codenamed “Fremont” appeared on Geekbench in August, widely believed to be a console-like expansion model of the Steam Deck. Valve has also registered the trademark “Steam Frame,” which McVicker believes will be the official name of a standalone ARM-based SteamOS VR headset.

The most recent entry in the Half-Life 2 saga, Episode Two, was released back in 2007—18 years ago.