Is Half-Life 3 Finally Coming in 2025—and About to Upstage GTA 6?
Rumors that Valve is finally building Half-Life 3 are reaching a boil — and with the Steam Machine now unveiled, the stage is set for the bold announcement fans have waited years to hear.
Yes, it is a gaming rumor, but it is also Half-Life, which is basically pop culture folklore at this point. The chatter around Half-Life 3 just got louder thanks to Valve's newly announced Steam Machine and a couple of pointed hints from the InsiderGaming crew. None of this is official, but the tea leaves are all steeping in the same cup: skip The Game Awards, aim for an early 2026 launch, and maybe tie it to Valve's new hardware.
- Rumors say Half-Life 3 is in active development at Valve, but no confirmed date.
- Early speculation had an announcement at The Game Awards 2025, possibly late 2025 timing.
- InsiderGaming's Mike Straw now expects Valve to skip a TGA splash entirely.
- InsiderGaming EIC Tom Henderson says a big, highly anticipated game is set for March 2026.
- With Valve's new Steam Machine in the mix, Henderson floated the idea that Half-Life 3 could launch alongside it, potentially as an exclusive.
Why March keeps coming up
On this week's episode of InsiderGaming Weekly, Mike Straw said he does not think Valve will use The Game Awards 2025 for a big Half-Life beat. Then Tom Henderson added a nudge that instantly set forums on fire:
"I've heard there's a big game coming out in March that I can't say just yet. But a lot of people are looking forward to it. We'll see in the next couple of weeks if we're gonna talk about it."
Put those two pieces together and the picture looks like this: Valve avoids the awards-show circus, announces on its own terms in 2025, and ships shortly after in March 2026. That tracks with how the studio likes to operate and would spare everyone the usual hype fatigue.
So what about The Game Awards 2025?
Earlier rumors pointed to a TGA 2025 reveal. Straw is saying: probably not. If Valve just rolled out a new PC-leaning console in the Steam Machine, it makes sense they would control the messaging from start to finish. Announce when they are ready, launch quickly after, keep expectations in check. Also, with GTA 6 soaking up planet-sized hype, it would not be the worst idea for Half-Life to swoop in once the dust settles.
The Steam Machine angle
This is the part that will either thrill people or set keyboards on fire. Following Valve's Steam Machine reveal, Henderson tossed out a theory: Half-Life 3 as a Steam Machine launch title. The word 'exclusive' came up in that context. He also pegged the timing to early 2026, and even narrowed it to March when batting around dates. Again: it is a theory, but it is not coming from nowhere.
Managing expectations (and your heart rate)
To be crystal clear: Valve has not announced Half-Life 3, a date, a platform strategy, or anything else. The throughline here comes from consistent rumor smoke plus two industry reporters nudging in the same direction. If this is how it shakes out, the next few months could be a fun ride as we inch toward 2025 announcements and a potential March 2026 payoff.
Smart move if Valve does it this way? A focused reveal, a short runway, and a hardware tie-in would be very Valve. Whether the Steam Machine exclusivity part flies with fans is another story entirely.