A new Half-Life update of a mysterious nature has been added by Valve just ahead of the epochal sci-fi shooter’s 25th anniversary. Sneaked away in the backend of Steam, the update potentially suggests new material for the original Half-Life, as we also await the arrival of Half-Life 2 RTX. However, after all this time waiting, and waiting, and waiting for Half-life 3, it seems advisable to keep expectations low. Something is happening with the original Half-Life, and it seems likely Valve would commemorate the silver anniversary of its Gordon Freeman, Black Mesa, and the G-Man’s first appearances, but it’s all very hush-hush.
25 years since the original Half-Life. It’s a frightening thing to read. Nevertheless, the anniversary is upon us, as the iconic FPS game turns a full quarter of a century old. I still remember the first time I saw a Barnacle and the way it barfed up the innards of an unfortunate, digested scientist. Happy days. Now, it seems Valve might be planning a celebration of Half-Life’s history – or maybe something more – as it uploads a protected, secretive update to the backend of Steam.
Arriving on Sunday, November 5, precisely two weeks before Half-Life’s 25th anniversary, the update adds a variety of new file depots as well as – seemingly – an entirely new build for something. The build contains material for GoldSrc – the engine powering the original Half-Life – and is labeled as a test build. The update itself is password-protected. You can see it all for yourself in the image below.
Half-Life 2 RTX, which improves the visionary, 2004 sequel with ray tracing and other visual overhauls, is currently in development. Potentially, the original game could be getting similar treatment. Alternatively, Valve might be adding a special, in-game event to mark Half-Life turning 25. Or maybe this is Half-Life 3, built in the original GoldSrc engine, as DLC to the first Half-Life, and you play as Gordon Freeman on his magical quest to…Venus. We’ll have to see.
In the meantime, check out the best old games, if you miss the boomer shooter charm of Half-Life. You can also get the best horror games of all time, if the Barnacles still give you the chills.