Half-Life 3 Is Real — And It's Fully Playable, Leaker Claims

According to a new leak from a trusted insider, Half-Life 3 isn’t just in development — it’s reportedly playable from start to finish.

Valve insider Tyler McVicker has revealed that the long-awaited sequel, believed to be codenamed HLX, has reached a major milestone. In a recent Q&A livestream, McVicker stated that the game could be officially announced this summer (Q3), with a potential release window in winter 2025 (Q4).

A History of Hints — Now Stronger Than Ever

Fans have been speculating for years about Valve’s next Half-Life project, and recent datamined assets and code snippets suggest the studio has been working behind the scenes. A previous leak, likely from an actor involved in the project, hinted at its existence — and now, it appears development is further along than anyone expected.

🗣️ "The game is playable — end to end. Period," McVicker stated. "They’re optimizing, polishing… it’s probably content-locked or at least mechanic-locked."

Not a VR Game — And It Might Feature Portal’s Chell

One of McVicker’s biggest clarifications was that Half-Life 3 is not a VR title, despite Valve’s recent focus on virtual reality. Instead, it’s a traditional PC experience, with broader accessibility and playtesting already underway.

He also teased a potential crossover with Portal, suggesting that Chell may appear in the game. Meanwhile, writer Erik Wolpaw is reportedly eager to work on Portal 3, which could follow HL3 as Valve’s next single-player title.

HLX: AI-Driven, Not Procedurally Generated

McVicker also addressed confusion about the game’s design. He explained that HLX includes an advanced AI system, similar to the Director from Left 4 Dead 2, but more powerful.

"It’s not about changing the level geometry," he clarified. "It’s about dynamically altering entity placement — like enemies, doors, physics props, and NPCs — to keep each playthrough unique."

He pushed back on rumors of a procedurally generated story, noting that while the gameplay offers variability, the narrative remains scripted and intact.

A Scrapped Prototype — And a Second Chance

It's confirmed that Valve had previously worked on Half-Life 3 between 2013 and 2014, which aimed to blend procedural generation with scripted storytelling. That project was shelved due to the limitations of the unfinished Source 2 engine at the time.

Now, with Source 2 more mature and internal momentum building, it seems Valve may finally be ready to bring HL3 to life — for real this time.