A fascinating datamine teases several new demo called Aperture Desk Job, and this short title may contain hints at the developer's next titles.
1998's Half-Life, an immersive first-person shooter which combined fast-paced gunplay with an immersive sci-fi story, instantly put Valve on the gaming industry map. Half-Life 2 was met with even greater acclaim in 2004, and Valve reached the peak of its popularity with 2007's Orange Box. The epic compilation included Half-Life 2: Episode 2, the first-person puzzle game Portal and the class-based first-person shooter Team Fortress 2. However, The Orange Box also served as the end of the golden age of Valve games. 2020's Half-Life: Alyx renewed fans' hopes for more new titles, though, and rumors suggest that Valve is developing multiple new game projects following the virtual reality Half-Life installment.
As revealed by YouTuber Tyler McVicker and reported by ComicBook.com, data found within Aperture Desk Job appears to reveal several Valve projects. The datamine points to four games: a follow-up to Half-Life: Alyx, a Source 2 port of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, a previously-cancelled Portal game centered around paint and a multiplayer game called Citadel. The long-rumored Citadel, the most detailed of the four leaked titles, appears to combine class-based shooters with real-time strategy games to create a unique competitive experience. While these leaks are exciting, it is important for fans to take them with a grain of salt until any official announcement from Valve.
The launch of Half-Life: Alyx renewed many gamers' hopes of seeing the release of Half-Life 3. The virtual reality project plants seeds for the sci-fi franchise's next installment, leading some to believe that Half-Life 3 will be a VR game like Alyx. Back in 2007 Half-Life 2: Episode 2 ended on a massive cliffhanger, but Valve unfortunately lefts its fanbase waiting through numerous Episode 3 delays. Thanks to Tyler McVicker's datamine of Aperture Desk Job, players can remain hopeful that a new Half-Life experience will release soon.
While Valve is famously wary of new game projects, Aperture Desk Job does hint at several very exciting titles currently in development. Citadel appears to be a truly fascinating combination of first-person shooting and real-time strategy, and new games in the Portal and Half-Life universe are always exciting. With multiple new titles in development, Valve may be building up steam for a worthy successor to The Orange Box.
Sources: Tyler McVicker/YouTube, ComicBook.com
