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Major Half-Life 3 gameplay additions may have been revealed

Half-Life Alyx

A combination of insider info and data mining suggests that Half-Life 3 will have some major gameplay changes, including the addition of environmental sim elements.

Half-Life 3 has become a running joke amongst the gaming community, and for good reason. While games like The Last Guardian and the Final Fantasy 7 Remake became a meme , Half-Life 3 still needs to be released. With Valve’s current focus on Deadlock, some fans lost hope of a release.

However, recent reports suggest Half-Life 3 is still happening. After all, Half-Life: Alyx proved to people that Valve hasn’t forgotten its landmark IP. Even so, a VR Half-Life game is no replacement for a fully-fledged threequel to one of gaming’s most beloved franchises. YouTuber Tyler McVicker recently discovered some interesting Half-Life 3 information from a data mine.

Half-Life 3 may feature immersive sim elements

The third Half-Life entry will reportedly have immersive sim features utilizing the Source 2’s dynamic features.

Half-Life: Alyx gave fans a glimpse of the creativity that Valve was still capable of. Ironically, the cutting-edge VR technology may have hampered Half-Life: Alyx’s longevity and open-endedness. A non-VR title would not have the built-in limitations a VR game has.

One way that could potentially manifest in Half-Life 3’s gameplay is through immersive elements. According to the reports found by McVicker, NPCs and the environment will interact far more organically. Features in Half-Life 2 that existed, such as smart AI enemies and physics-based environment puzzles, laid the foundation for immersive sim elements to flourish.

Proposed innovations from the data mine include resource containers adjusting their contents based on the players’ behavior and the immediate environment. Reportedly, these elements have been conceptualized for years at Valve.

“We were working on this single-player game that would use proceduralism in concert with crafted experiences to create something played in an open-ended way,” said Valve developer David Speyrer.

Speyrer also outright confirmed the project (at the time) was Half-Life 3, though it was a very early concept for it.

Half-Life 3 development is still going, reports suggest

Multiple job listings confirm industry veterans began working at Valve in 2023.

From Naughty Dog to Rockstar, Valve has been picking up talented developers, designers, and artists from all around the industry. Even former Valve employees like Portal 2 designer Cayle George have returned. Interestingly, Cayle George also created the mod Half-Life C.A.G.E.D. in 2017, while he was away from the company.

With so much smoke for Half-Life 3, it’s no surprise it reignited a fire among fans. There’s more evidence for an upcoming Half-Life 3 than ever before, even if Valve remains tight-lipped. Fans hope it comes out sooner rather than later.

Written by Gab Hernandez X Twitter Logo

Gab Hernandez has a particular love for video games that give players control over the narrative direction, such as Divinity: Original Sin 2 and Disco Elysium. Gab spends just as much time playing games as they do gushing about them online to anyone who will listen. Their work has also been seen on TheGamer, Gfinity, and Wargamer, and you can follow them on Twitter / X at @HardlyWorkinGab.

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