Dataminers have revealed that more than one Half-Life game could be in development at Valve.
These rumors began circulating due to a YouTube video by Tyler McVicker detailing leaks and data mines about two Half-Life games in the works. Reportedly, one project is in development for VR and the other is meant for a PC release.
The video began by claiming Valve has opened a new testing branch for Half-Life 2, which is typically done when the developers want to test out features before a release.
Hold on.👀Is Valve secretly working on TWO Half-Life games?👀Leaks, rumors, and the biggest data mine I've ever done are pointing to a massive update for the franchise. https://t.co/BCNNxevRjT#HalfLife #Valve #HLX #GamingNews
— Tyler McVicker (@Tyler_McV) August 25, 2024
Similar testing was conducted a year ago for a Half-Life anniversary update, so the testing branch mentioned in McVicker’s report could mean Valve is cooking up something new.
Fans already know about the project codenamed HLX, a Half-Life 3 game currently rumored to be in development that was originally reported by the same YouTuber.
McVicker later spoke about one reaction video by YouTuber Pyrocynical TV to his previous reveal on Half-Life 3 rumors. Pyrocynical TV claimed they knew about Valve’s Deadlock four years ago and was aware the team had two games in the works, outside of Counter-Strike and Deadlock.
Based on Pyrocynical’s claim, McVicker did some digging and learned about The Deckard, an upcoming VR headset.
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HLX was not thought to be a VR title, but a game being created to showcase the features of the Deckard would make a lot of sense. After all, Half-Life: Alyx was a demonstration of how the Valve Index worked.
McVicker also shared some of his speculations based on older rumors, such as the idea of an asymmetrical Half-Life game where one player was on VR and the other on PC. These two games could interact with each other to include co-op elements.
The leaks do match up with rumors that have been circulating for years.
Throughout the video, McVicker shared even more hints that the Half-Life: Alyx team was deep into Half-Life development in some way. For instance, the tool that checks if the build works, the build break master, has an icon of Gordon Freeman holding a crowbar.
“The longer we wait, the more information becomes known, and it is very clear that the Half-Life franchise is heavily in development right now,” the YouTuber said.
McVicker ended by explaining how his data mining project is taking quite some time, but he plans to update subscribers every few weeks with newly discovered information.