Sometimes I feel like I exist in a niche when I express the reasoning for wanting Half-Life 3, and more specifically the potential excitement I feel if were ever made official. From where I sit it has nothing to do with expectations based on hype. I don't feel hype is proportional to dev cycle. I'm not more hyped as time passes. Nor do I feel it needs to re-invent the wheel or revolutionise the genre. I don't feel this is an essential trademark of the series nor necessary for a modern iteration to be relevant in today's market.
My want for more Half-Life rests entirely on the opinion that Valve's pedigree with single player games, particularly the Half-Life series, is astounding. That's all it comes down to. I can replay the games today and Valve's quality of pacing and encounter design, emphasising variety and diversity, still puts most linear, scripted single player games to shame. In the same way that something like Resident Evil 4 holds up, and I feel for many The Last of Us too, I don't feel Half-Life 2 has aged or that the formula has regressed. Wolfenstein: The New Order is one of my favourite games of recent years, largely because it follows a very similar design template in pacing and structure. Despite introducing almost nothing revolutionary or outstanding on its own, its the quality of the production itself and the design direction that elevates the entire experience.
I don't want Half-Life 2: Episode 3 or Half-Life 3 because I feel Valve are somehow going to turn the industry upside down. I don't need future Half-Life to do so. I just want a single player shooter based in the Half-Life franchise that exemplifies the consistent strengths Valve repeatedly demonstrated throughout the entire series arc. More of the same with modern production standards isn't remotely a bad thing in my eyes, and worthy of just as much hype, anticipation, and excitement as any other franchise.
But I also don't think it's ever going to happen. I think it could if Valve wanted it to, but deep down they don't. The development culture there has shown no evidence in the last six or so years of building games like Half-Life. And while that disappoints me, I also don't want them to force it. Half-Life isn't just a "finish the story" case for me, but a Valve first person shooter scenario, and if Valve can't muster the legitimate passion and enthusiasm to naturally bring the series to its conclusion then I can't imagine a forced entry would capture the magic of its predecessors. Ultimately I've conceded; once upon a time the Half-Life dream was kept alive by a glimmer of delusion and hope within me. These days; not so much. And that sucks, but okay, time to move on.
That being said I fully empathise with fans who are openly frustrated with the absence of a conclusion, and I think labelling these people as entitled is unfair, even if I agree Valve shouldn't be forced to make another one. Unlike, say, Metroid and F-Zero...two franchises I adore but have no real indication of ever seeing again (this is wanting versus expecting), to the credit of Half-Life fans Valve did pitch the concept of the episodic trilogy as a means to advertise the future of the franchise. They may not have sold a season pass or asked for money upfront, but I can totally empathise with someone who bought into Valve's promotion of the series and now feel somewhat cheated and let down by Valve choosing not to pursue the final.
