Valve's long-awaited Half-Life 3 could be a Steam Machine launch title in 2026

[Shawn Knight]

In a nutshell: The long-awaited third installment in the iconic Half-Life series is reportedly nearing completion and fans might not have to wait too much longer to get their hands on it. According to Insider Gaming Weekly podcast co-host Mike Straw, the title is scheduled to arrive in spring 2026 as a Steam Machine launch title.

Straw said the same launch window also applies to the Steam Machine console itself as well as the Steam Controller 2 and the Steam Frame VR headset. His biggest takeaway, however, is that the game is in fact real.

Valve launched Half-Life 2 way back in 2004, with many considering it among the greatest games ever made. Fans patiently waited for a sequel but as the years passed, it became evident that we might not ever get an official third entry.

The narrative started to shift as of late, with rumors surfacing earlier this year that the game was indeed happening and was already playable end-to-end. Code snippets found in other Valve games like Counter-Strike 2 and DOTA 2 reference a project codenamed "HLX" complete with ray tracing, level alteration, and AMD FSR, which some believe to be Half-Life 3.

Now would be the perfect time for Valve to launch a sequel to Half-Life 2. Just last month, the Bellevue-based game maker introduced a console-style PC for the living room. As mentioned, the machine and a handful of accessories are slated to arrive early next year. Launching one of the most anticipated game sequels ever alongside the new hardware certainly wouldn't be a bad look.

Valve hasn't yet announced pricing for the Steam Machine, and the uncertainty involving the ongoing global memory shortage could further delay that information. Some had hoped to hear about the game in an official capacity during The Game Awards last week, but Valve was mum on the matter.

What are your thoughts on Half-Life 3? Are you hyped to finally play it, or are the expectations simply too unrealistic after more than two decades of waiting?

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Valve's long-awaited Half-Life 3 could be a Steam Machine launch title in 2026

 

[yRaz]

I'm definitely buying a steam machine and probably putting Mint or PopOS on it. Best case it becomes a fundamental part of my living room experience, worst case it goes in the server rack in the garage. It will be fun playing around with SteamOS on something other than my deck.

 

[AlexIL]

Laughable plans to get gamers back after obviously failed attempts to milk more money hitting the wall. People moved on and won’t be returning to that. 100$ game anyone? Nobody’s buying

 

[yRaz]

Laughable plans to get gamers back after obviously failed attempts to milk more money hitting the wall. People moved on and won’t be returning to that. 100$ game anyone? Nobody’s buying

mind telling us why gamers left Steam? This is the first I'm hearing about it

 

[GeoffreyA]

I've been waiting for almost 20 years, HL2 has been my favourite game, but after the late controversy and getting one's hopes dashed, I feel a sense of distaste, as if I don't want the game any more. (A sentiment aided by motion sickness from playing Alyx with the NoVR mod.) Probably, the sentiment will pass and I'll want the game again in time.

 

[ScottSoapbox]

I've been meaning to replay HL. I'm torn on starting at 1 or going straight to 2.

 

[VaRmeNsI]

I've been meaning to replay HL. I'm torn on starting at 1 or going straight to 2.

There's a billion HL1 mods to be played if you haven't already, many very good ones eg: They Hunger.

 

[m4a4]

I mean, I guess it sounds good at face value. But "launch title" for a platform that has no antiquated walled garden doesn't really mean anything.

It would help generate hype, but not for the hardware. Which is fine, it just feels weird.

 

[candle86]

Laughable plans to get gamers back after obviously failed attempts to milk more money hitting the wall. People moved on and won’t be returning to that. 100$ game anyone? Nobody’s buying

You are in the minority HL3 is right behind the second coming of Christ in wants for a bunch of people.

 

[Neatfeatguy]

I won't lie, I really enjoyed HL2. I thought the episode games were okay, but I got really bored with the gravity gun. The novelty of it wore off after a couple of hours. Then they pulled the plug on episode 3 and were too ungrateful to the gamers that helped make Valve what it is today by supporting them and the games they did make that were great.

I couldn't care less if HL3 came out ever.

 

[James321]

Could have, should have, would have.

Heard it all before. Seeing is believing. I wont hold my breath.

Hopefully it don't use UE5 engine.

 

[passwordistaco]

I've been meaning to replay HL. I'm torn on starting at 1 or going straight to 2.

Start with Black Mesa.

 

[FaTaL]

Curious if Rockstar will release PC version of GTA6 at release or shortly after because of Steam Machine...
instead of the usual 2-3 years post console release.

 

[yRaz]

Curious if Rockstar will release PC version of GTA6 at release or shortly after because of Steam Machine...
instead of the usual 2-3 years post console release.

I Dont really mind the delayed release on PC as I remember gra4 and 5 both being a "premium" experience. No game breaking bugs and fully functional multiplayer. I don't mind waiting if I'm getting a good product and I rember the 4k release of GTA5 being a big deal that ran really well on my, then, GTX580 and 4770k. Yes, 4k60 was 100% a thing 10 years ago and it makes me rage we can't do it today

Edit: I'm not editing my post, this is what AI autocorrect looks like on my Google pixel that I've had for less than 3 months. I can literally watch it change things I already typed and it makes incorrect corrections. I just talked about 4k60 being a thing 10 years ago, auto correct was a thing that worked properly 10 years ago, too, without AI.

 

[Porkous]

I would rather buy an epic games machine, which is also linked easily to steam.

 

[m4a4]

I would rather buy an epic games machine, which is also linked easily to steam.

Lol, what could possess you to say something so out of touch? You will easily be able to install the EGS on a Valve-branded PC (with a little bit of Googling). But the irony here is that Epic is far more likely to prevent other games stores on their hardware (with how aggressive they are) if they were ever to do so.

 

[havok585]

mind telling us why gamers left Steam? This is the first I'm hearing about it

gamers left steam? WTF are you talking about, Steam numbers are on a rise, since forever.

 

[gingerbill]

Laughable plans to get gamers back after obviously failed attempts to milk more money hitting the wall. People moved on and won’t be returning to that. 100$ game anyone? Nobody’s buying

err you either are delusional or live in some alternative reality . You have gotten so angry at everything you are now hallucinating.

I look forward to seeing the price of the steambox , might get one depending on price.

HL3 I will believe when I see it but hopefully its great.

 

[GodisanAtheist]

I'll believe it when I see it. Nothing so far outside of pure hot air, speculation, and rumor surrounding HL3.

Even then, not sure why Valve would make it a Steam Machine "launch title", unless that means the game is ONLY going to be supported on SteamOS and not have a windows edition.

More likely it will be something intended to be used with Frame, or maybe have a VR campaign built in or something.

 

[Trapped Nowhere]

You are in the minority HL3 is right behind the second coming of Christ in wants for a bunch of people.

We'll get those batteries we hear about every year before either of those things

 

[yRaz]

gamers left steam? WTF are you talking about, Steam numbers are on a rise, since forever.

Are your reading comprehensive skills failing?

 

[JaredTheDragon]

I Dont really mind the delayed release on PC as I remember gra4 and 5 both being a "premium" experience. No game breaking bugs and fully functional multiplayer. I don't mind waiting if I'm getting a good product and I rember the 4k release of GTA5 being a big deal that ran really well on my, then, GTX580 and 4770k. Yes, 4k60 was 100% a thing 10 years ago and it makes me rage we can't do it today

Edit: I'm not editing my post, this is what AI autocorrect looks like on my Google pixel that I've had for less than 3 months. I can literally watch it change things I already typed and it makes incorrect corrections. I just talked about 4k60 being a thing 10 years ago, auto correct was a thing that worked properly 10 years ago, too, without AI.

And here you are yet again, ranting about your "Google Pixel" that you installed some nonsense Graphene on and it doesn't even work. Amazing. Nobody cares about your garbage phone or your garbage software or your trash experience or the fact that you can't hit 4K/60fps in 2025, son. Get off your poor-person phone and upgrade your PC already.

 

[AlexIL]

I've been waiting for almost 20 years, HL2 has been my favourite game, but after the late controversy and getting one's hopes dashed, I feel a sense of distaste, as if I don't want the game any more. (A sentiment aided by motion sickness from playing Alyx with the NoVR mod.) Probably, the sentiment will pass and I'll want the game again in time.

I waited for it so long I quit waiting long ago and won’t be buying if that ever gets released unless players reviews are truly stellar. There’s a quits to every wait.

 

[yRaz]

And here you are yet again, ranting about your "Google Pixel" that you installed some nonsense Graphene on and it doesn't even work. Amazing. Nobody cares about your garbage phone or your garbage software or your trash experience or the fact that you can't hit 4K/60fps in 2025, son. Get off your poor-person phone and upgrade your PC already.

I love it when I get called some poor person by someone with a massive credit utilization from a bank my family owns. Please keep financing iPhones and pretending you're well off.

 

[Rapob]

I hope we get to see HL3 but somehow doubt it - Why wait like 20 years after the cliffhanger in Episode 2?

Anyway, I am sure it will play like garbage on Steam Deck (especially) and Steam Machine compared to a high-end PC, if we get to see it and no way Valve will make it exclusive to these devices, with a >1% Steam marketshare.

Hopefully they won't degrade visuals too much, to make them run well on the weak hardware.

Steam Deck is extremely weak. Bought an OLED and sold it again. Mainly good for emulation but becomes boring fast. Maybe Deck 2 with FSR 4+ support will be good. Good upscaling is extremely important for watt limited devices. Will take 1-2 years before we see Deck 2 probably.

Steam Console is not even mid-end but should do "HL3" much better. If Valve actually wants to sell these, after DRAM/SSD prices went south. Delayed because of this.

However, HL3 is now or never. The target group of gamers that enjoyed HL1 and HL2 are slowly vanishing I think. The majority of young gamers don't know what Half Life is and probably could not care less with HL3. Maybe they will reboot the franchise instead.