Valve's new update for Deadlock includes HLX mentions: Half-Life 3 hopium continues to build

Valve has recently updated Deadlock with some mentions of "HLX" inside of it, with HLX rumored as the codename of Half-Life 3, providing us with some more hopium fuel that it's on its way this year.

One of the biggest sources of Valve projects -- Gabe Follower -- confirmed on X that Valve's latest update for Deadlock includes mentions of the HLX project, who added that "HLX survived Valve's winter break".

One of the replies on the post said: "Gabe, i think that its getting to a point that HLX isnt half life X or 3. I think its just a new addition onto games that could be for moderation, making the games better, or something else completley. Stop giving us hopium that eventually turns into despairium. Thanks".

I don't think we're hearing all of these Half-Life 3 and HLX rumors for nothing, with a journalist saying not too long ago that Half-Life 3 would be a Steam Machine launch title, and that makes so much sense. I've said virtually the same thing since Valve got into the hardware business, that we'll see a massive launch title -- Half-Life 3 -- being the new Mario or Halo for Valve's new Steam Machine.

Valve performed a similar move with Half-Life: Alyx and its Index VR headset and controllers, and if anyone has played through Half-Life: Alyx in a VR headset and the Index controllers, you'll agree that it is peak gaming. It is an absolutely out-of-this-world (it's VR, ha) experience, and only has me even more hyped for Half-Life 3.