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Comment by m_mueller | Hacker News Reader

I don't think 'never' is very realistic. HL3 would be the perfect killer app for selling Vive VR headsets, I'm reasonably sure they are working on something like that. Although Portal does actually make more sense in terms of how the transport mechanics can work together with a VR rigged room, however HL3 could easily introduce a teleport mechanic as well based on its backstory.

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All of that is true, but consider that in the years since HL2 came out, that anticipation and fan theories have gone through the roof and back again. Valve has since stopped being a developer, and prints money with Steam, and a big part of the goodwill they garner has to do with their reputation as sterling game devs.

Now, you have to ask if HL3 could ever hope to meet the expectations of the modern gamer, many of whom were probably just born when HL2 was big and have no real connection to it. What do they have to gain from it? What do they have to lose? I'd argue that they're making so much money now they don't particularly need the expense and risk of developing a game that, even if it is quite good, stands to potentially harm their reputation.

I don't think it's quite true that Valve has completely given up on developing. Their last release is Dota 2 from three years ago. If you follow the rumor mill, there's often asset leaks going out from various source updates to TF and Dota2 - development certainly hasn't stopped, it just seams that they only announce something when they know they have something that sets new standards.

Valve released a complete engine rewrite for Dota 2 only about 12 months ago, Dota 2 Reborn. They also release major game updates regularly.

Aside from Steam, Valve (the developer) seems to be putting a lot of focus on esports right now. Many of the recent updates to Dota 2 seem to be new features and quality of life improvements for casters and spectators.

You're right, and I phrased that badly. I should have said that they're continuing development for their existing properties, but not developing new games.

Indeed. It's the Duke Nukem effect.

HL2 is good old FPS game.

There is no way in hell they could release it as a VR game and not as regular FPS game. That would be just really bad move from Valve.

Half Life 3 will be made, in about the same way humanity will solve climate change. Which comes first remains to be seen.

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