Shortly after fans were disappointed by a no-show at The Game Awards 2024, a Half-Life voice actor reignited rumors surrounding the release of a long-awaited sequel, the prospective Half-Life 3. Rumors surrounding Half-Life 3, or Half-Life 2: Episode 3, have been present, in one form or another, since the release of Half-Life 2: Episode Two in 2007, but have always proven to be unreliable or false, creating the impression that the series was dead, more or less, until the release of Half-Life: Alyx in 2020.

As per a Reddit post from BalorigPotloodventer, Mike Shapiro, who voices the G-Man in Half-Life, has posted an "ominous" video on X. The video is ostensibly celebrating the new year in the G-Man's voice, with the tags "#Valve #Half-Life #GMan #2025". Although the post doesn't officially announce anything, it, along with previous rumors and announcements regarding a possible Half-Life game, has renewed speculation surrounding an reveal or release of Half-Life 3.

The Latest Half-Life 3 Rumors, Explained

Rumors Surrounding Half-Life 3 Have Been Building In Recent Years

Shapiro's post isn't the only reason to think that Valve is legitimately working on a new Half-Life sequel. Multiple Half-Life 3 rumors and leaks have pointed to internal Valve projects codenamed "Project White Sands" and "HLX", leading to speculation that either or both titles could be new Half-Life games, with one being Half-Life 3. Another possible indicator is Valve's seemingly renewed interest in the Half-Life franchise, as both Half-Life and Half-Life 2 have received recent, major updates for their respective anniversaries in 2023 and 2024.

Notably, a documentary released for Half-Life 2's 20th anniversary also had the game's developers discuss the reasons behind Valve's failure to release an Episode 3 for the game, with vague allusions to future projects in the franchise. Finally, though Half-Life: Alyx's VR exclusivity makes it a relatively niche title, the game did provide an unexpected follow-up to Half-Life 2's infamous cliffhanger ending, with an implied sequel tease right at the end.

Our Take: It's Time For A New Half-Life

Seventeen Years And Counting Since Half-Life 2, A New Sequel Is Long Overdue

Over seventeen years after Half-Life 2: Episode 2, it's easy to say that a new Half-Life sequel that serves as a proper continuation of the series' story is long overdue. Luckily, there are plenty of signs that Valve seems to agree, and the studio may well be actively developing new Half-Life games. Whether a prospective Half-Life 3 can live up to seventeen years' worth of expectations remains to be seen, though, and, if a sequel is in the works, it's likely to be drastically different from what Valve might have released in the years directly after Half-Life 2: Episode 2.

Of course, without any official announcements, it's always important to take leaks and rumors with a grain of salt. While evidence of a new Half-Life sequel has mounted over the course of 2023 and 2024 and it's hard to imagine that Valve isn't working on some kind of follow-up to Alyx, there's also the unfortunate reality that a game that hasn't been released in seventeen years can easily continue that trend. Until the time of an official announcement, though, Half-Life fans can continue to hold out hope for Half-Life 3.

Sources: BalorigPotloodventer/Reddit, Mike Shapiro/X, Valve/YouTube