Half-Life 3 copium goes into overdrive as fans convince themselves Valve's Steam Machine announcement is hinting at a reveal: "I don’t want to get anyone's hopes up"

Valve just revealed new hardware, and you know what that means: people are convincing themselves Half-Life 3 might be coming soon. The announcement of the Steam Machine, a home console equivalent to the Steam Deck, is raising hopes for some form of announcement surrounding Gordon Freeman's long-gestating trilogy-capper, and even I'll admit, the excitement is infectious.

The hints start in the Steam Hardware reveal video. "There's a 'SOON™' and a sticker with an orange 'H' that's covered by a censorship bar," Twitter user TheJeremy__ points out. "Later in the video, the Lambda logo appears on a keyboard."

The fan starts by saying they don't "want to get anyone's hopes up," but, well, it may be too late for that. In a follow-up tweet, they mention that Valve pulled the autumn sale forward for the first time in more than a decade, leaving a relatively large gap between the currently running Animal Fest, and December's Sport Fest. Space for some G-man-sized news, perhaps?

"Half-Life 3 is just around the corner," they insist. November 18 is the date they've earmarked, and plenty more are getting in on the delusion. "There is also a sticker under the sushi that says 'Running in the '90s,' I Googled that and it's a song that came out in 1998, which so did Half Life!" says one response. We're through the looking glass here, people.

Just to compound all of this, Half-Life: Alyx was announced on November 18, and the very next day is the anniversary of the whole series. It's really starting to sound like Valve might be up to something here, and what better timing than for new hardware?

Needless to say, hopefuls are sold on the idea. "Itshappeningitshppeningitshappeningitshapeningitshapoeningitshappening," one proclaims.

If something does happen, it'd be a remarkable moment for the industry. Not least for one distinct reason: "Half-Life 3 before GTA 6 would be DIABOLICAL."

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