Doug Lombardi Confirms Half-Life 3

Valve's Doug Lombardi has revealed plans for Half-Life 3.

In an interview with Ted Stokes, lead reviewer for Ireland's PC Live! magazine, for StuffWeLike, Valve Marketing Director Doug Lombardi leaked news that the Half-Life house was planning on a third installment to the hit series.

Ted Stokes: With the ending of Episode 2 going directly to help the feeling of "must play Episode 3 now" could you give the current estimated date for Episode 3's release?

Doug Lombardi: We haven't announced a date for Ep Three just yet.

Ted Stokes: Are there any current plans after Episode 3 to have a Half-Life 3?

Doug Lombardi: We haven't announced anything specific, but Half-Life won't end at Episode Three - hang on to your crowbars!

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I think Valve will not waste the amount of time they've built up to build the lore around HL and whatnot to finish following Episode Three. Notice how he doesn't state specifically they plan to launch a full sequel? I'm thinking games in the same universe (Portal-esque stuff) but not following Gordon Freeman himself.

You're right. He doesn't say they're planning a Half-Life 3, that's an interpretation on the part of the story-writer. It could well be something different, as you suggest, or even just a half-life "Episode 4" type of deal.

edit: Ah, if you go to the StuffWeLike page, you can see that they're the ones who made that original assumption, and now have issued updates saying essentially "Uh.. yeah.. might not actually be a full Half-Life 3 thing."

Hell yeah! :D

I doubt its going to be another build from scratch game, as much as I would like to see it... given the amount of time it took them to make the source engine they would probably be retired by the time their done the half-life 3 engine.

1. At the time of putting the story together, the assumption from StuffWeLike was that it was a Half-Life 3. Perhaps changing the story title to "Hints" rather than "Confirms" would be more appropriate. And the question itself directly asks about Half-Life 3 and the idea is not declined. Typical spin, but it's something.

2. Personally, I still expect Valve to produce a third installment, solely because it'll sell bajillions and I'm sure they're working on a new engine while the creative teams continue working on episodic content.

Maybe zombie Freeman will be able to speak as a new feature in HL3? He's had that cold, or whatever it is for a long time now...

I feel that i'm going to be the only one to say... "Who cares?"

It most probably won't be episode 4'ish game, since they said they wanted only three episodes, at least now.

But the game itself might not be in freemans shoes, who knows what it will be? Maybe it will feature Ivan the Spacebiker. XD I probably have to dream of that one.

There was a time-lapse between Half-Life 1 and Half-Life 2 (during which the earth was taken over), and I wonder if there will be something similar between Half-Life 2 and Half-Life 3. Perhaps it will be set almost immediately after Episode 3 ends? But then this begs the question why not just continue the episodes? Is it worth it to upgrade a game's engine, mechanics, and create a wholly new game just to continue right after the last one? I think there will be a break between the events of Episode 3 and Half-Life 3, but what would happen? Does Freeman defeat the Combine and drive them back at the end of Ep 3? Does he get whisped away by the G-man before we can reach a final conclusion? Does he die and a new character becomes the focus? And when will we meet up with the protagonist from Portal in the HL universe? So many questions, and so much time to wait. Perhaps Episode 3's plot will clear some things up.

Wake me up when Valve announces their next Half-Life game won't require Steam to operate. Until then, all I have to say is "meh."

Oh, and this:

Malygris:
Wake me up when Valve announces their next Half-Life game won't require Steam to operate. Until then, all I have to say is "meh."

Steam works fine, you just don't buy third-party games on there. I havn't had many problems; Also, I doubt Half-Life 3 will come any time soon. They will likely finish Ep3, take a break, then make it. Oh, and Valve not using Steam will happen when pigs learn to fly airliners.

It's good news for the fans, but Valve really needs to expand their production team. In the travelogue Yahtzee made, he stated that they only had just over 100 workers at Valve. That's why it's taking them so bloody long to release anything.

So if there IS a HL 3, I wouldn't expect it until around 2009. It depends on whether they're keeping the same engine for HL2 and the episodes, or if they're upgrading it entirely.

Half-Life 3, coming out in 200,000,000! Seriously, the way Valve works I'm gunna be to busy in my grave to play.

Condorbeta:
It's good news for the fans, but Valve really needs to expand their production team. In the travelogue Yahtzee made, he stated that they only had just over 100 workers at Valve. That's why it's taking them so bloody long to release anything.

Why mess with success? Steak once a week over shit every day and all that.

yeah wake me up when they come up with a new Steam. Mine seems very slow and constantly crashes and blacks out temporarily.

The jump from HL to HL2 technology wise was huge. They built a brand new physics engine for it! I hope the jump for 2 to 3 will be just as big.

Also maybe, if Adrian Shepard (I'm a hopeless speller, I just hope I got his name right) isn't in Episode 3, HL3 could be all about him.

Steam is extremely annoying.
I wanted to show a young cousin Peggle yesterday, but Steam wouldn't work. Great job, Valve, how about actually letting me play my games?
Moreover, two months ago, I couldn't use steam offline mode because of a "cannot connect to server" message. CONNECT TO SERVER? IN THE OFFLINE MODE? The stupid thing is that the ONLINE mode worked fine...

...and don't get me started on the steam updates...

According to a interview in the latest EGM they state that the work of the Episodes in Half-Life basically accumulate to Half-Life 3 in terms of progression to the franchise.

WNxSajuukCor:
According to a interview in the latest EGM they state that the work of the Episodes in Half-Life basically accumulate to Half-Life 3 in terms of progression to the franchise.

Did you read it? It said that there's going to be a new half-life... after the episodes. "Half-Life won't end at Episode Three"

PurpleRain:
The jump from HL to HL2 technology wise was huge. They built a brand new physics engine for it! I hope the jump for 2 to 3 will be just as big.

Also maybe, if Adrian Shepard (I'm a hopeless speller, I just hope I got his name right) isn't in Episode 3, HL3 could be all about him.

I can only hope Shepard comes back. I'm still mad at the fact they haven't incorperated him in any part of HL2 or the episodes. Opposing Force was such a great game and they can do so many things with his character. Gordon Freeman is a scientist with no military background while Shepard is a highly trained soldier.

AzNheadbanger:

PurpleRain:
The jump from HL to HL2 technology wise was huge. They built a brand new physics engine for it! I hope the jump for 2 to 3 will be just as big.

Also maybe, if Adrian Shepard (I'm a hopeless speller, I just hope I got his name right) isn't in Episode 3, HL3 could be all about him.

I can only hope Shepard comes back. I'm still mad at the fact they haven't incorperated him in any part of HL2 or the episodes. Opposing Force was such a great game and they can do so many things with his character. Gordon Freeman is a scientist with no military background while Shepard is a highly trained soldier.

He might be in epidoe 3? Fingures crossed.

Normally when I hear about a game refusing to end as a trilogy I think of a desperate last attempt to grab some more money, but I love Half-Life and the story is deep enough to have a legitimate third/fourth/fifth installment. So, yeah.