Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
  • Games
  • TV
  • Movies
  • Hardware
  • Video
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Guides
  • Deals
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • SFX
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
View
Trending
  • GTA 6 trailer 2
  • Upcoming Switch 2 games
  • Switch 2 pre-orders
  • The Duskbloods

Recommended reading

Half Life screenshot showing GMAN
FPS Games Valve leads considered making a "mediocre" game before Half-Life to build the team up, but original marketing exec said "if you do that, the company will fail"
halflife screenshot showing a headcrab jumping at a player
FPS Games Half-Life devs worried Gabe Newell "promised things that they couldn't possibly deliver" for the iconic FPS, but "they just didn't know" that they'd be able to do it yet
A patent for a Valve VR headset on a white background
VR A Steam Deck, but for your face? The latest rumors about Valve's new VR headset are pretty exciting
FPS Games "Valve would never ship another game": Former exec forced Half-Life publisher's hand by saying Gabe Newell and the team would pivot away from game dev
FPS Games "That was not going to work for Valve": Canceled Half-Life spinoff game Ravenholm was "great, frankly," says Arkane founder, but it couldn’t survive under Valve's "very clear business plan"
Gordon Freeman
FPS Games Valve literally gives Half-Life away now, but 27 years ago it was carefully crushing its angry pirates: "None of them had actually bought the game"
Hollow Knight
Action RPGs Hollow Knight: Silksong gets unprecedented second update in 2 weeks, with a Steam page tweak pointing to a 2025 release
  1. Games
  2. Action

Half-Life 3 rumor roundup

Features
By Lucas Sullivan published 21 May 2012

Everything we know about what’s next for Gordon Freeman

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

demanding info

game code

To put any outlandish claims to rest, weve gathered every major rumor concerning the next installment in the revolutionary Half-Life series. Given the fact that Valve dishing up info on a work-in-progress game is as rare as an eclipse, these rumors might be all we have to go on for a little while. Well be sure to update the story as new details emerge (or fresh rumors start to spread), but until then, heres what weve heard so far

Page 1 of 12
Page 1 of 12
Half-Life 2: Episode Three is now Half-Life 3

Half-Life 2: Episode Three is now Half-Life 3

episodic, non-adventure-game content

Valve employee shirt sightings

Probability: 75%. Valves full of smart people, who should know that at this point, it makes more sense to just use their time to build a full-blown sequel. Reintroducing the story elements and the events of the previous games is pretty much a necessity therell be very little comprehension for players if things pick up right where they left off.

Page 2 of 12
Page 2 of 12
Itll debut with a huge update to the Source engine

Itll debut with a huge update to the Source engine

updates instead of overhauls

Probability: 90%. Its not a question of if - more of how drastic the updates will be. Were putting our money on new lighting, super-high-res textures, and the further development of the physics that Source is so well-known for.

Page 3 of 12
Page 3 of 12
It's been in development for six years

It's been in development for six years

announced the following two episodes

Hahahaha

Gabe Newell told PC Gamer

Probability: 85%. Given how unlikely it is that Valve would announce a game they hadnt started working on, wed imagine that HL3 in some form or another has been trapped in production hell for the past six years. Who knows if it still retains any of its original parts, or if creative differences ran rampant and derailed the entire project.

Page 4 of 12
Page 4 of 12
It'll take place in the frozen wastes

It'll take place in the frozen wastes

we showed you the first glimpse at Half-Life: Episode Three concept art

Into the Pixel art exhibit

Probability: 90%. Half-Life 2 showed the city; Episodes One and Two showed the great and green outdoors. Trekking to an icy locale like the Arctic (or Antarctic) would make for a perfect change of scenery, and would add even more mystique to uncovering buried secrets. We hope the HEV suit comes with built-in heaters, for Gordons sake.

Page 5 of 12
Page 5 of 12
We won't be revisiting City 17

We won't be revisiting City 17

Doug Lombardi told Eurogamer

Probability: 90%. Very little couldve survived the detonation of the Citadel, and that includes concrete structures. Its a shame, really we may never get to hurl empty soda cans at irritable Combine guards again.

Page 6 of 12
Page 6 of 12
It's going to have survival horror elements

It's going to have survival horror elements

Gabe Newell told Edge magazine

Probability: 70%. It probably wont be all-out sci-fi survival horror that seems more like Dead Space territory but it wouldnt be a Half-Life game without some terrifying stages. Perhaps some horrible experiment-born mutants were stowed away in the Borealis, or the Combine have uncovered a parasitic life form in the frozen icecaps, la The Thing.

Page 7 of 12
Page 7 of 12
Gordon will still be mute

Gordon will still be mute

interview with Edge

Probability: 99.9%. Valves already gone all-in on Gordons lack of a voice changing that now would be lunacy. Gamers have accepted the fact that the events of the HL series are more about whats happening around Freeman, not the heroic lab jockey himself. Judging from the internal backlash Valve received from temporarily giving Portal 2s Chell a voice during the games development, thats not a mistake theyd make twice.

Page 8 of 12
Page 8 of 12
No more "isolated single-player"

No more "isolated single-player"

The Final Hours of Portal 2

stepped in to settle the score

Probability: 50%. With the warm reception gamers gave to Dark Souls successful implementation of single player with join-anytime multiplayer elements mixed in, theres a good chance that Valve might do the same. Or maybe they'll throw in a co-op campaign, similar to the one found in Portal 2 (or the rarely-mentioned Half-Life: Decay co-op found in the PS2 version of the game).

Page 9 of 12
Page 9 of 12
You'll use the Portal Gun

You'll use the Portal Gun

Probability: 40%. Valves comic collection, The Sacrifice and other Steam-Powered Stories, features a Portal 2 comic with plenty of references to Half-Life, with health dispensers and the Gravity Gun sitting idly in the Aperture labs. We also know about the presence of the Borealis in Episode Threes plot. Giving Freeman a Portal Gun might cheapen the Portal series as whole, but it'd be a mighty fun way to tackle Combine encounters.

Page 10 of 12
Page 10 of 12
It'll be the conclusion to the HL franchise

It'll be the conclusion to the HL franchise

Probability: 15%. This ones a tough call. Valve treats their franchises with great care, making sure not to drive a beloved series into the ground. If Gordons scientific storyline concludes nicely in HL3, then there may be no reason for the G-Man to put him through further undertakings. Then again, wed put Freeman at the same level of gaming iconography as Master Chiefand we all know how his final mission turned out.

Page 11 of 12
Page 11 of 12
Rise and shine, Mr. Freeman

Rise and shine, Mr. Freeman

Half-Life 2: Episode Three/Half-Life 3 storyline speculation

Want to delve into more well-kept secrets, but dont fancy yourself to be much of a PC gamer? Check out our Wii U rumor roundup, Xbox 720 rumors roundup, and PS4 rumors roundup to get the unconfirmed details on the next generation of consoles. And if you're hankering after the stories that might shape this year's E3, check out our E3 2012 rumors compendium, which will be updated constantly between now and the show

Page 12 of 12
Page 12 of 12
TOPICS
Valve
CATEGORIES
PC Gaming PlayStation Xbox Platforms
PRODUCTS
Half-Life 2 Half-Life 2: Episode One Half-Life 2: Episode Two Half-Life 2: Episode Three Half-Life 3 Half-Life 2: Episode Three
Lucas Sullivan
Lucas Sullivan
Social Links Navigation

Lucas Sullivan is the former US Managing Editor of GamesRadar+. Lucas spent seven years working for GR, starting as an Associate Editor in 2012 before climbing the ranks. He left us in 2019 to pursue a career path on the other side of the fence, joining 2K Games as a Global Content Manager. Lucas doesn't get to write about games like Borderlands and Mafia anymore, but he does get to help make and market them. 

See more PC Gaming Features
Read more
Half Life screenshot showing GMAN
Valve leads considered making a "mediocre" game before Half-Life to build the team up, but original marketing exec said "if you do that, the company will fail"
halflife screenshot showing a headcrab jumping at a player
Half-Life devs worried Gabe Newell "promised things that they couldn't possibly deliver" for the iconic FPS, but "they just didn't know" that they'd be able to do it yet
A patent for a Valve VR headset on a white background
A Steam Deck, but for your face? The latest rumors about Valve's new VR headset are pretty exciting
"Valve would never ship another game": Former exec forced Half-Life publisher's hand by saying Gabe Newell and the team would pivot away from game dev
"That was not going to work for Valve": Canceled Half-Life spinoff game Ravenholm was "great, frankly," says Arkane founder, but it couldn’t survive under Valve's "very clear business plan"
Gordon Freeman
Valve literally gives Half-Life away now, but 27 years ago it was carefully crushing its angry pirates: "None of them had actually bought the game"
Latest in Action
Assassin's Creed Shadows
After several rough years, Ubisoft says "the launch of Assassin’s Creed Shadows was a defining moment" and its Tencent deal to basically make Ubisoft 2 is coming along
Assassin's Creed Shadows screenshot showing Yasuke kneeling and praying while wearing a traditional purple robe
Assassin's Creed Shadows "has clearly outperformed Assassin's Creed Odyssey" in sales and player count, Ubisoft says
Death Stranding 2 PS5 screenshot
Death Stranding 2 isn't weird enough: Hideo Kojima has an idea for a game where your character forgets everything if you stop playing
GTA 6 Cal Hampton in a bar by a pool table
Five seconds of GTA 6 footage has convinced me that we'll be running businesses in Vice City – and I'm here for it
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra gets delayed to "early 2026" as devs say the extra time will allow for "more polish" and "the best possible experience"
How to arrest suspects in The Precinct
How to arrest suspects in The Precinct and bring them in
Latest in Features
Summer Game Fest logo for Summer Game Fest 2025
Summer Game Fest schedule 2025: dates, times, and where to watch all of the upcoming showcases
Switch 2 launch games: a close-up of Mario and Luigi racing each other during Mario Kart World.
Switch 2 launch games: all the day-one releases for Nintendo's new console
Key art for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, showing fighters including Mario, Link, Bowser, and Inkling.
"Everyone is here": the three magic words that made Super Smash Bros. Ultimate one of Nintendo's greatest achievements
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle screenshot of Indiana Jones in the darkness
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle reawakened a PS2-era phobia that made me quit survival horror in 2003, and I'm still recovering
GTA 6 Cal Hampton in a bar by a pool table
Five seconds of GTA 6 footage has convinced me that we'll be running businesses in Vice City – and I'm here for it
Phantom Blade 0
I play all the big action RPGs every year, and the 'PS2 Golden Age' approach of Phantom Blade Zero is exactly what I want right now
  1. Dune: Imperium - Bloodlines board, tokens, and cards set up on a green surface
    1
    Dune: Imperium - Bloodlines review: "Make it a default part of your games"
  2. 2
    Doom: The Dark Ages review: "Some may appreciate the greater focus on close-quarters, but others will find themselves nostalgic for the simple joys of double jumps"
  3. 3
    Empyreal review: "This looter slasher's often beautiful, hand-designed levels and robust challenge kept pulling me back to go one more round"
  4. 4
    Revenge of the Savage Planet review: "An underrated sci-fi platformer gets a beautiful third-person sequel, but I'm left cold by shallow busywork and an over-reliance on toilet humor"
  5. 5
    Articulate review: "Still worth playing in 2025"
  1. Tom Cruise hangs from a plane in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning
    1
    Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning review: "Wraps up this spy franchise in spectacular style with Tom Cruise in peak condition, even if its villain lacks terror"
  2. 2
    Final Destination Bloodlines Review: "Meticulous murderous mayhem"
  3. 3
    Thunderbolts review: "Makes good on the promise of a new start for the MCU"
  4. 4
    A Minecraft Movie Review: "Jack Black's irrepressible star turn helps elevate this video game adaptation"
  5. 5
    The Electric State review: "Although this may be their most visually stunning movie yet, it looks like the Russos are yet to find their footing outside of the MCU"
  1. Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor in 'The Story & The Engine.'
    1
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 5 spoiler review: 'The Story & The Engine' is "one of the most original and ambitious episodes this show has produced in years"
  2. 2
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 4 spoiler review: 'Lucky Day' has a "genuinely surprising" mid-episode reveal
  3. 3
    The Walking Dead: Dead City season 2 review: "Almost 350 episodes into this franchise, it's nice to know it can still surprise us"
  4. 4
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 3 spoiler review: 'The Well' is a "ruthlessly gripping" installment that challenges Belinda
  5. 5
    Andor season 2 review: "Every bit as stellar as its predecessor – at times, it even surpasses it"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...