Everybody knows Valve’s reputation for third installments to their games. Fans have been tricked time and time again when it comes to this, and theories have been passed around for a second sequel to every game published by Valve. This being said, no Valve game has been as widely anticipated as Half Life 3.

Half Life 2 released in November of 2004, making it the longest stretch of time between a Valve game with “2” in the title to receive a third entry. Half Life: Alyx, which takes place between the first and second games, released in 2020, but this doesn’t count in the eyes of the Valve fanbase.

Practically ever since the release of Half Life 2, the release of the third game has been theorized. Supposed “leaks” have risen and fallen just as easily, none having real substance.

This past year at The Game Awards had thousands of fans fooled into thinking Half Life 3 could be announced, and when it wasn’t, a mass outrage occurred. 20 years on and we still fall for this, everybody thought…

New Year, New Half Life Game? 

…That was, until Mike Shapiro, the voice actor of the G-Man and Barney Calhoun, posted a cryptic message to his social media followers. While nothing was stated outright, the tags and use of his voice for the G-Man in the teaser certainly implies that there will be some news for a new game in the Half Life series.

Wary of Valve’s tricks and naming conventions always leaving out the number three, fans have looked at this news with cautious optimism. A sequel to Half Life: Alyx could be happening, or even a new spinoff or prequel entirely. If Mike Shapiro’s post is a reputable source, anything could happen. As long as it happens to not be a third game, of course.