Valve insider says company should give up on Half-Life 3

Valve created two of the best games of all time with Half-Life, and its sequel, Half-Life 2 - and while we enjoyed Half-Life 2: Episode One and Two, we haven't seen anything new in the Half-Life universe since Episode Two's release in 2007 - nearly 10 years ago.

GameInformer has just sat down with a Valve Insider, saying that Valve had never planned on releasing Half-Life 3, and that there were multiple prototypes created for Half-Life 2: Episode Three. The Valve Insider said: "There is no such thing as Half-Life 3. Valve has never announced a Half-Life 3".

The insider continued crushing my dreams, adding: "The closest they've come is after Half-Life 2, they said there would be three episodes. We only got two of those. That is arguably an unfulfilled promise. Anything else that we might think about as a full game or sequel has never been promised. I only mention that because it's sometimes frustrating when people sort of assume or have wishful thinking about the future".

GameInformer asked the Valve Insider whether he thought Valve owes it to its fans to finish what it started with Half-Life 2, where he said there will never be a Half-Life 2: Episode 3 released: "I don't think there will be any more. But at any given moment, they make decisions as they come".

He continued: "If some people within Valve make something that they collectively feel is exciting, then it will happen. That's going to be hard for that to happen now. Every time a Half-Life project gets some gravity and then collapses, it becomes harder for the next one to start up. Because the business changes so much, and there are so many other things to do, it just gets harder and harder. It's one of those things they'll always have to accept. People are going to harass them for more Half-Life. The idea of delivering a third episode of Half-Life 2, that's dead. There's no universe where that will happen. I think there is a universe where a standalone thing could come together to fill in that hole, but that's tough".

When asked about what Valve is best to do, he said they should "give up on Half-Life 3, avoid it entirely, and do Half-Life experiences instead. Experiences that connect, but aren't the flagship sequel".

So there you have it, we probably won't see Valve release Half-Life 3 - unless a miracle happens. Or maybe, just maybe, this is all clever marketing - and it will be released at GDC 2017. Please?