Half-Life 3 Leaks Hint at Antlions, Arctic Zones, and the Return of Xen

The name Half-Life 3 is once again floating around the community for a good reason. Several new leaks tied to Valve’s internal HLX project—believed to be the next Half-Life title—have surfaced thanks to datamining in Counter-Strike 2. The biggest takeaway this time: the return of the Combine's age-old enemy, antlions, and the unmistakable appearance of thumpers, Combine-built machines used to keep them at bay.

The information comes from reliable leaker Gabe Follower, who’s been reporting on HLX since at least last winter. The new findings appeared in a recent CS2 update and include multiple string references that mention "thumpers", "antlions", and other familiar Xen terms.

HLX is also rumored to be in its final stages of development, supported by long-running playtests involving friends and family. These are the same types of tests Valve previously conducted for both Half-Life: Alyx and Deadlock—tests that led to late-stage rewrites and even full visual redesigns in the past.

This isn’t the first time antlions have played a major role in Half-Life. They’ve been in every game since 2004. In Half-Life 2, they roamed coastal and underground regions, hunting targets based on footstep vibrations. Later titles added variants like acid-spitting workers and squishy grubs used at healing stations in Alyx. Antlions haven't been seen since, but the leak implies they’re now making a comeback, with thumpers possibly deployed again to repel them.

These leaks are already pushing speculation in two different directions.

Some fans believe that if antlions are back, the Arctic expedition teased at the end of Episode Two may no longer be the setting. After all, antlions generally don’t appear in colder climates. Others argue that it doesn’t rule out an Arctic environment altogether—just that it won’t be the only place Gordon Freeman visits.

The Episode Three footage shared by Valve in last year’s Half-Life 2 20th anniversary documentary showed that an Arctic direction was very much in play. That documentary even revealed a cut weapon—the ice gun—capable of forming walls, freezing enemies, and shaping environments. The weapon was meant for building cover and altering traversal, but it never made it past the prototype stage.

Another enemy type shown in that same Episode 3 footage was the blob, a shifting mass that could split into smaller enemies and bypass obstacles. The documentary confirmed this content had been shelved but gave fans a clear look at what Valve had been planning before the sequel was scrapped.

Back to HLX. In addition to antlions and thumpers, recent update strings mention “food”, “gravity force”, and vehicle hitgroups, which seem to align with Half-Life-style design. These references could mean gameplay mechanics related to hunger, movement physics, or new vehicle interactions—though nothing’s confirmed yet.

Even if the Arctic is still featured, it likely won’t be the game’s only region. Leaks point to Xen playing a role again, including the potential return of other classic enemies like houndeyes. There’s also speculation that the Combine may have genetically modified antlions to survive colder regions, similar to how they engineered new headcrab variants in Half-Life 2.

Playtesting has become a consistent trend across all HLX reporting. According to Gabe Follower, the game entered regular internal testing months ago. Now, testing has expanded to include family and close friends of Valve developers, a move that historically signals late-stage development.

"It's quite an important stage for the project," Gabe Follower said in December 2024. "If it survives the New Year holiday and there are no serious problems during the playtests then the development will continue at the right pace, and the announcement in 2025 might turn out to be quite possible."

His statements mirror previous playtest patterns. Half-Life: Alyx also underwent heavy testing before getting delayed and rewritten in parts. That rewrite brought back Portal and Half-Life writers Jay Pinkerton and Erik Wolpaw, both of whom are rumored to be attached to HLX now.

Both writers recently clarified they are not working on the story for Valve’s other project, Deadlock, increasing the odds that they’re focused on HLX instead.

Fans waiting for Half-Life 3 have been through this cycle before. Multiple iterations have been scrapped, and Episode Three was formally cancelled years ago. HLX is the first substantial movement in the series since Alyx, but Valve still hasn’t officially confirmed it as Half-Life 3.

Still, the flow of information is steady and consistent. The CS2 update strings are new, and they tie into known themes. The thumpers signal environmental control. The antlions show Valve is dipping back into core enemy behavior. And the other terms—like gravity force—feel like classic Half-Life building blocks.

Taken together, HLX is shaping up to be more than a test project. Combined with documentary footage, datamined strings, and insider commentary, the project looks real—and far along. A 2025 announcement now seems like a reasonable expectation.

Valve once said post-Alyx, “We’re not afraid of Half-Life no more.” That line was more than reassurance—it was foreshadowing. The VR game’s ending handed Gordon Freeman back his crowbar and cracked open the door for a direct sequel. The return of antlions and thumpers just confirms they’re stepping back into that world again.

Whether HLX becomes Half-Life 3 in name or something else entirely, the pieces are lining up. Arctic regions, Xen, new weapons, classic enemies, and late-stage testing all point in the same direction. If there’s a time for Valve to finally deliver, it may be next year.