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Rumor: Half Life 3 still not in full development

iNvid02

Member
believe.
Mark Laidlaw apparently responded to this rumor in an email.

dTgJ1WZ.png


put marc's emails in the OP, they're vague but the only response available from someone at valve.

its worth mentioning the video actually says that the script, story and game events are complete, so in that case they could have enough to know where a combat section will play out, or where a puzzle will be inserted etc and how it affects the overall pacing, instead of just the script.

still, the lofty expectations that have built up for this game, the lack of financial/shareholder pressure on valve to focus on the project, and the way in which valve employees supposedly earn their salaries make for strong arguments about the current status of this game.

skyfenorman pointed out a few more stories they broke - not a bad track record overall, still not concrete, but a little less likely for it to be in the tales from my ass and other short stories book.
They are the ones with the Dark Souls 3 leak, Tomb Raider PS4/PC confirmation a month early, and revealed the Kinectless XB1 a year before MSFT announced it. We don't know Silent Hills isn't coming to the XB1 it just seems unlikely.

Personally I believe them based on their successful track record.



**ORIGINAL POST**

via the know (dark souls 3 leak and silent hills rumor) who claim to have an anonymous source inside valve.

they may have pulled this out of each others butts (they mention upper management a lot, but the flat structure of valve has been talked about before).
the latter half regarding financials is just speculation on their part, but the general conclusion of the video is there is no incentive for valve to release HL3 any time soon, which i can agree with.

HL3:
1. in development but by a small crew of ~10 people currently
2. project status is the script, story and game events are complete
3. valve management not invested in releasing it anytime soon
4. was in development with larger team in 2009 but devs got moved to other projects which needed attention
5. mass effect 3 backlash influenced them. devs saw how passionate fans turned on the game and didnt want that to happen to the company's banner franchise
6. game culture has changed since 2004 ("sadly, most people are shitheads" - anonymous source at valve)

$$$:
7. cash flow from steam and F2P microtransactions is more than sustaining valve
8. staff moved to projects that bring in the money
9. Dota, CS Go, TF2 earned valve over $400 million in 2014.
10. Conservative estimate for total steam revenue in 2014 at $1.5 billion (1st and 3rd party)
11. Valve's 30% cut of $1.1 billion (3rd party only) combined with their top 3 F2P game earnings = $730 million in 2014.
12. no financial pressure to release HL3 (generous 12 million units full price retail for HL3 equals $720 million).

lpuWsyr.jpg

y u mad tho
 

Jawmuncher

Member
Just think if Bioware didn't mess up ME3 for the masses we could be playing Half Life 3 right now (That's my biggest takeaway from all of this)
 
5. mass effect 3 backlash influenced them. devs saw how passionate fans turned on the game and didnt want that to happen to the company's banner franchise
6. game culture has changed since 2004 ("sadly, most people are shitheads" - anonymous source at valve)
This seems like a really weird reason for Half-Life 3 to not be in full development.

I mean, I sort of get the reasoning, and they're right about the shift in how people act publicly online, but I imagine people overall had a higher opinion of Valve's writers than Bioware even when the latter was at their peak.
 

TwoDurans

"Never said I wasn't a hypocrite."
That BJ quote from their source is hilarious. Sadly it's true, but funny none-the-less.
 

mp1990

Banned
At least "not in full development" is better than dead, right ?

Not that i care that much tbh. Never played any HL game, and i was pretty sure it was completely dead for a few years already. Still, it would be nice if they released it for the fans.
 
I honestly don't think I'll live to see Half Life 3.

I've lived to see Killer Instinct 3, Shemnue 3, Fallout 3, Thief 4 and FF7 Remake etc, but I can't see myself surviving to Half Life 3.
 

Myggen

Member
Ōkami;172913236 said:
wellthereitis.gif

One source from the guys who brought you the Microsoft Silent Hills rumor. Eeeeeeh...

That said, I'm betting Valve is swimming in enough Steam and Dota money to not really care much about HL3. I just wouldn't take this source as gospel.
 

corn_fest

Member
I kinda thought they'd be making more money tbh

and I can see what they're getting at with 6). It's been so long that no matter what they release, a ton of people are going to shit all over it. Look at the reactions to Witcher 3, and that wasn't anticipated for nearly as long.
 

Soltype

Member
I never really thought about how much revenue they get from their other games.Making HL3 would be more or less recreation for them.
 
D

Deleted member 80556

Unconfirmed Member
Even if they were pulling this out of their asses, I wouldn't be surprised if it's true.

And ME3 inspired them to delay it? GOD DAMMIT, ME3 RUINS ANOTHER THING. Also, screw you Valve.
 

Quirah

Member
Didn't these guys bullshitted that Microsoft - Silent Hills rumor? Why everyone commenting like all of these infos are 'fact'?
 
D

Deleted member 80556

Unconfirmed Member
Didn't these guys bullshitted that Microsoft - Silent Hills rumor? Why everyone commenting like all of these infos are 'fact'?

Because they also got Dark Souls 3.
 
I'm hoping we get another single player game from Valve, but this appears to be less likely with each passing year. I won't be surprised if Portal 3 is just Co-op only, or if they plan to make another Portal at all.
 

TwoDurans

"Never said I wasn't a hypocrite."
Didn't these guys bullshitted that Microsoft - Silent Hills rumor? Why everyone commenting like all of these infos are 'fact'?

They are the ones with the Dark Souls 3 leak, Tomb Raider PS4/PC confirmation a month early, and revealed the Kinectless XB1 a year before MSFT announced it. We don't know Silent Hills isn't coming to the XB1 it just seems unlikely.

Personally I believe them based on their successful track record.
 

Orayn

Member
Part of me thinks Valve not having a financial albatross around their neck means good things for HL3. Not necessarily good in terms of release date, but for the quality of the game. They're freer to explore more possibilities and make something they think will be truly great if they don't have to worry about hitting a strict deadline and making it a mainstream success that will kill the company unless it sells X million copies.
 

iMax

Member
My first instinct is they'd be stupid not to make it. It's probably the most anticipated piece of vapourware there is.

But then on reflection, is it even relevant? Valve's "banner franchise"?! I really would not be surprised to learn that Portal, CS and Left4Dead probably have more name recognition in today's gaming market right now.

I think the ship has sailed.
 
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