Insider Revealed Why Half-Life 3 Wasn’t Announced at The Game Awards 2025

A lot of fans might have expected long-awaited Half-Life 3 announcement to take place during The Game Awards 2025 show but it didn’t happen eventually. That wasn’t actually a big surprise but recent reports may have raised the stakes.

It’s all started, when a Reddit user revealed new Half-Life game announcement is imminent and will happen soon. Then, insider Lamaine suggested Half-Life 3 titled Half-Life: Xen will be anounced at The Game Awards 2025 and released for Steam on March 26, 2026. Well, nothing of these has happened, and perhaps now we have some explanation.

Senior Editor for Insider Gaming Mike Straw recently wrote a post on Reddit, where he discussed the situation around new Half-Life game. He confirmed Half-Life 3 actually existing – and Valve are eyeing to release the game on spring 2026, when they launch Steam Machine – partially, insider Lamaine reported the same. Straw also claims the main reason why Valve have postponed Half-Life 3 – RAM pricing that are raising. Full report from editor you can check below:

"Hi there. People were asking for transparency on things, so I felt the right thing to do was to be transparent on things because that's what I'd want from others.. So, I'll do that here to with exactly what I said during the show to clear up any confusion that may still stem.

- Since day 1, the date I was given wasn't 100% confirmed. I said that multiple times, which is why I never went public with it and wasn't comfortable reporting a date. But the date I was told had passed

- Every other journalist and creator who may/could know or had talked to people, including quite a few big ones, were given different dates. It seems, at this point it was an intentional false date spread to try and catch leakers

- The main source I spoke with on this---who I have expressed my frustration to about it---is adamant that the game was planned to be a launch title of the Steam Machine. And that the plan was for it to launch in Spring 2026.

- The RAM pricing was more of the scuttlebutt that has been talked about as a concern. Not a "this is 100% the reason" but what I feel based on the talks.

- The source who gave me this information is the same that has provided information for the Lord of the Rings game I reported on, 10:10 Games Layoffs, Ballistic Moon, and more.

I fully get people are frustrated and annoyed. I am too. But rather than run from it, I'd rather, again, be open about what I'm hearing and give as much as I possibly can. Take it how you will but just know that I put a lot of pride and effort into my work and the information I provide, whether it's something like this or smaller like the UFL talking about a video game license."

Once again, nothing is here confirmed by Valve, so it’s a still information that should be considering as rumor. However, we have more proofs about Half-Life 3 from different sources that definitely gives the fans glimmer of hope.

Do you believe Half-Life 3 will be released on spring 2026 with the launch of Steam Machine? Share your thoughts in the comments below!