"Half-Life 3" rumors came barging unexpectedly, and once again, the hype reignited this week in online forums and across gaming outlets, pushed by datamines and insider comments.
Fans are connecting dots to fuel speculation of a possible end-of-year announcement. That information is unconfirmed for now, but the December theory could be the closest to reality that could happen in a few days or weeks.
'Half-Life 3' December Theory
The interest in "Half-Life 3" really took off after IGN published a detailed rundown of the possible leads in mid-November. There are also posts on Reddit and community threads about the potential datamines of one of the most anticipated games of 2025.
Other high-profile gaming events were announced in early December, like the next-gen upgrade for "Red Dead Redemption 2," but fans drew correlations to "Half-Life" data that supported their optimism.
Decoding the Leaks and Datamines
According to Red94, current reports only mention references within Valve's Source 2 engine, along with the very mysterious codename of HLX, which many interpret as a possible new "Half-Life" project. However, experts say that these technical signals are circumstantial and not an official announcement. Additionally, most leaked details tend to revolve around engine updates and internal code references; thus, gameplay or story elements are still completely unknown.
Timeline of Rumors and Community Signals
The talk about "Half-Life 3" has slowly picked up throughout late November and early December. Several outlets have pointed out similar hints, from datamine discoveries to subtle updates within Valve's ecosystem.
None of them serves as direct confirmation by Valve, though. As we always remind, always take this kind of stuff with a grain of salt to avoid disappointments from your expectations.
Will Valve Announce 'Half-Life 3' This December?
In the meantime, the gaming community has remained optimistic, taking each leak and reference as a hint that it might finally be revealed. The outlets are reporting the growing signals, although Valve still hasn't commented about it. All we can do right now is wait.
Elsewhere, "Marvel's Wolverine" could be the most hyped PS5 holiday game announcement for this year. The adventure game is expected to be released in 2026.
Originally published on Player One
