Half-Life 3 Information added up

[Ascension]

Let's look at the facts, Episode 3 was announced, delayed, and seemingly axed by Valve. And Gabe Newell has been really quiet about a new installment in one of the best game series of all time. Now, the legit or at least believable info: Concept art leaked last year, the internal project listing, the "Ricochet 2" interview, and various files found in Dota 2, SFM, etc.

Now let's add up: the files could very well refer to a possibly cut Episode 3, as well as the concept art, so let's just say that the files and the concept art were for a nerfed Episode 3. Now onto the more recent news, the little list leak and the R2 interview are not really connected, but they do both refer to Half-Life 3.


Now let's think, why would Valve put files about Episode 3 into SFM or Dota 2? And why would Valve be so careless as to momentarily open a window to their internal project listing? Could the Jira mishap and the files perhaps be some part of an ARG?

But all of this aside, Valve has to release some follow up to Episode 2, Valve can't just take a dump on their fan-base by not releasing Half Life 3 or Episode 3. It's not like Valve to do that.

What do you think? Could this perhaps be some sort of strange ARG for a new Half-Life installment? A little slip up. Or just some fake fan crap.

Leave your thoughts in the comments below! (Please, no criticism, this is what I think, not what you think.)

 

[Omnomnick]

Concept art leaked last year,

That concept art was from Episode 3 back in 2008, we're not sure how relevant it is to whatever Half-Life project Valve may or may not be working on right now.

the internal project listing,

The internal project listing could be far older than we know, but yeah, it was legitimate and had recently been updated.

the "Ricochet 2" interview,

"Ricochet 2" is most likely just Gabe's way of trying to talk about the project without attracting too much attention or unnecessary buzz.

and various files found in Dota 2, SFM, etc.

Those files mean little to nothing, files for a variety of Source games get thrown around in every other game/project thanks to the way Valve manages their internal network (copying massive portions of code to reuse in other games).

Now let's think, why would Valve put files about Episode 3 into SFM or Dota 2?

It costs more money, time and resources to remove individual files for little to no reason. It can also be relatively dangerous to remove individual files since the team have no idea what piece of code may or may not cause issues elsewhere in the project. Better to leave everything in and just run with it.

why would Valve be so careless as to momentarily open a window to their internal project listing? Could the Jira mishap and the files perhaps be some part of an ARG?

No. The Valve Jira account was left open by mistake. People make mistakes, it doesn't necessarily mean they are "careless".

But all of this aside, Valve has to release some follow up to Episode 2, Valve can't just take a dump on their fan-base by not releasing Half Life 3 or Episode 3. It's not like Valve to do that.

Valve don't have to do anything. Yeah it wouldn't be right for them not to continue the series and the on-going narrative, but too many fans feel entitled to a sequel. Valve doesn't have to do anything they don't want to.

What do you think? Could this perhaps be some sort of strange ARG for a new Half-Life installment? A little slip up. Or just some fake fan crap.

A whole bunch of loosely connected information from massively different periods in time from a number of different (and mostly cancelled) projects. There is no ARG, you wouldn't be asking that question if it was. You would know straight away.

Hopefully that helps. Don't take it as "criticism", I just thought I'd develop and elaborate on a few of your points for future posters.

 

[rikt]

That pretty much sums it up.