Multiple insiders have claimed that Valve is preparing a second major reveal following the Steam Machine announcement.
According to known insiders GabeFollower and Tyler McVicker as well as Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson and Mike Straw (via Mr_Rebs_ on Twitter/X), Valve is preparing a second major reveal following the Steam Machine announcement. All signs point to a Half-Life 3 reveal.
As per content creator GabeFollower’s information, Valve is aiming to announce Half-Life 3 sometime later this year. Insider Gaming’s Mike Straw claimed there will be another big Valve announcement soon, and that it won’t be at The Game Awards. His peer Tom Henderson also reported that there’s a major title, possibly a Steam Machine launch title, set for release in March, 2026. Furthermore, dataminer Tyler McVicker is also expecting a Half-Life 3 announcement sometime within the next 2 to 3 weeks.
Back in August, Gabe Follower and Tyler McVicker both reported on a new data mine of updates to Counter-Strike 2 and Deadlock that uncovered evidence regarding the previously leaked Valve project codenamed HLX, believed to be the long-rumored Half-Life 3. Counter Strike 2’s update synced the game with the latest build of the Source 2 engine for the first time in nearly a year, revealing many shared engine components and references, several of which directly link to HLX.
Among the most intriguing findings were advanced entity optimization systems like “hlx_configurable_lightweight_body_entity” and “hlx_configurable_lightweight_body_collection”, which allow for efficient handling of physics objects in complex environments. These systems appeared tailor-made for a single-player game with expansive levels, strongly suggesting that HLX is not another multiplayer shooter.
References to a revamped NPC collision system pointed to major upgrades in AI interactivity. Characters would reportedly react physically to the environment and player actions, similar to the dynamic systems seen in Rockstar Games’ GTA titles. This further hinted at HLX being a heavily immersive, narrative-driven experience in line with prior entries in the Half-Life series.
