Half-Life 3 is expected to be officially announced before the close of 2025, as noted by a reputable industry insider. This information arrives amid a surge in public interest over the franchise, which has reached its highest level in 17 years.

The resurgence of speculation regarding Half-Life 3 began in August 2024, following GabeFollower’s discovery of hints pertaining to the long-awaited game within the code of other Valve projects. In the ensuing months, various industry sources have corroborated the ongoing development, with claims suggesting that this iteration has made more progress than previous attempts.

Mike Straw, Senior Editor for Insider Gaming, has consistently asserted that Valve will unveil at least one significant announcement subsequent to the mid-November launch of the new Steam Machine. He clarified that he was indeed referring to Half-Life 3 in a tweet on November 20.

“I believe Half-Life 3 will be revealed shortly.”
“Inclusively like, before the year wraps up.”

As the excitement around Half-Life 3 amplifies, Straw has reiterated in the latest episode of the Insider Gaming Weekly podcast that he stands by his prediction regarding the announcement timing, further elaborating on the challenges he faces in verifying the specifics.

Straw also touched on Valve’s strategy to manage leaks, noting that they might share multiple potential announcement dates with different individuals to identify the source of information leaks. This technique, known as a canary trap, has been employed previously, as was the case before the announcement of Half-Life: Alyx in November 2019, which generated a plethora of inaccurate leaks.

In conclusion, the anticipation surrounding Half-Life 3 has propelled search queries related to the game to the highest point observed in 17 years, marking a significant moment for both fans and the gaming community at large.