Leaked Half-Life Project Officially Mentioned In Valve Q&A

Published Oct 22, 2026, 1:59 PM EDT Ben Brosofsky has been writing for Screen Rant since 2022 and editing since 2024. He graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor's in Cinema & Media Arts. Writing serves as a much-needed distraction from tackling a backlog of Steam games that will never be surmounted. Sign in to your ScreenRant account The continuation of the Half-Life series might be the most infamous white whale in the video game sphere, as fans have been begging for a third title for over two decades. Half-Life Alyx brought the series back to life in recent years, but as a VR-only spin-off, it isn't exactly the Half-Life 3 of legend. Surprisingly, however, we may have just gotten official confirmation of the next game. Leaks and rumors surrounding a potential Half-Life 3 have previously been associated with the codename HLX, a string of letters that has now publically exited the mouth of someone in the know for the first time. In a new Valve Q&A, shared by Tyler McVicker on X, Valve employee Mike Morasky says that "HLX has its own version" of HDR. HLX is a codename that has long been associated with potential Half-Life 3 leaks, so this is the first official mention of what could be the next game in the series. It's possible that Morasky could simply be referring to Half-Life Alyx or something else with HLX, as casually mentioning an unconfirmed new game would be a major slip. That being said, Half-Life Alyx doesn't currently feature HDR support, as HDR isn't a feature offered by the majority of VR headsets (the PSVR2 being a notable exception, and only when used with the PS5). McVicker also argues that a fellow panelist appears to mutter "nice work" after Morasky mentions HLX, which would back up the idea that he said something he wasn't supposed to. No one acknowledges the slip-up beyond that, but assuming it does refer to a new Half-Life game, moving on from the topic would essentially be the only viable option to avoid blowing up the situation even more. McVicker promises more to come, saying "HLX files today" and noting that he's "working as quickly as he can." The "passionate gamer and hype merchant" has extensively covered Half-Life 3 and Valve leaks in the past, making them as much of an authority on the subject as anyone not directly in the loop can be. Speculation about a forthcoming release of Half-Life 3 has been ramping up in the past year or so, with many hoping for a reveal near the end of last year that never came. More and more leaks have pointed to the probability of its existence, but the game's development remains officially unconfirmed, and fans have been burned many times before. Every new game ceremony that passes results in a cycle of hype and disappointment, which, for some of the community, has become a form of entertainment in its own right. Hopefully, the HLX that Morasky mentioned does turn out to be the new Half-Life game that fans are waiting for. If the slip of the tongue is anything to go by, it does indeed seem like it might finally be somewhat close to release, but there's no use counting your Half-Life games before they hatch. Systems Developer(s) Valve Publisher(s) Valve Engine Source Franchise Half-Life