Half-Life 2: unknown facts about the cancelled third episode and Valve's new plans

With the updated version of Half-Life 2, Valve has released a two-hour documentary that tells the story of the game's development and the cancelled third episode.

Here are the most interesting facts:

Lack of a clear vision for the third episode

• The developers started working without a clear concept. There were only a lot of developments - new game mechanics, locations, and concepts.

New mechanics and enemies

• One of the mechanics was to be a weapon that creates ice walls to protect against projectiles, freezes enemies, and helps overcome vertical obstacles. Among the new enemies was slime that could absorb others, pass through mesh surfaces, and, when damaged, break into small pieces that would eventually reunite.

Limitations of the Source engine

• After 8 years of work on the Half-Life series and 6 months on the third episode, the team came to the conclusion that the Source engine is no longer able to provide innovations that would impress players. The game universe also ran out of ideas for significant development.

Moving on to other projects

• Valve focused on helping to create Left 4 Dead. When the game was released, the developers realised that the moment for the third episode had already been lost. Therefore, the project was cancelled, and the studio started working on the Source 2 engine for the upcoming Half-Life.

Regrets about the cancellation

• The developers now regret the cancellation of the third episode, as it could have taken only two years to complete. Gabe Newell also pleaded guilty, saying that he was unable to offer something new. However, he doesn't think it's right to release a game just to continue the story.

The future of Half-Life

• A new game of the series will be created only when they find ideas that will bring a completely new gaming experience, unlike the previous ones.

In addition, Valve announced the reissue of Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar in 2025. The publication will feature new concept art, facts, and ideas related to the cancelled third episode.