Valve have filed for the trademark on Half-Life 3. According to the filing, When it’s successfully processed they will have license to publish and distribute a game called Half-Life 3.
This looks real but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
You can read the filing for yourself be heading over to The Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market’s website and searching for the filing numbered 012180394.
So, yes, this would seem to confirm Half-Life 3. It doesn’t mean there’s an impending release. It doesn’t mean Valve are stepping up its development. It doesn’t mean that it will be a Steam Box launch title or any other such thing,
It means that Valve are trademarking the name for when or if in the future they decide to release a third Half Life game.
Despite all that, I’d be lying if my brain weren’t doing a little dance right now.