A Half-Life 3 leak suggests it's a Steam Machine launch title

According to new rumors, it is heavily talked about Half-life 3 may still appear, but as a Steam Machine launch title. Half-life fans asked for a sequel to the acclaimed Half-Life 2 more than a decade, to that extent Half-life 3The very existence (or lack thereof) has become a meme on social media. Fans have seen signs everywhere pointing to a third chapter in the series, and finally a repeated absence revealed them all Half-life 3 at big game events and parades.

Rumors about the existence of a third volume and an upcoming first look have been circulating for several weeks, and it was to be expected that Half-life 3 appear at The Game Awards 2025, but it didn't happen. This is probably the best place for the upcoming video game reveal, as it is one of the most anticipated events in the industry, perhaps the most important. So not showing up at TGA 2025 could be another nail Half-life 3coffin, but new rumors reaffirm that the game is indeed real and will be the launch title for Valve's upcoming Steam Machine.

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Rumor: Half-Life 3 'Could Be Any Day' Announced Now

A new rumor suggests that an official Half-Life 3 announcement “could be any day now.”

Half-Life 3's reveal date may be a lot closer than you think

Recently, Insider Gaming's podcast, Insider Gaming Weekly, had Mike Straw reveal that he spoke to undisclosed sources about Half-life 3 and Valve's plans for the game. Straw stated that all his sources are adamant Half-life 3 is a Steam Machine launch title. On Twitter, Straw also shared a post about Half-life 3The fact that it won't be shown and revealed could be tied to the Steam Machine price and release date not being finalized yet, meaning the game could be revealed once those details are released and pre-orders are available.

Valve's Steam Machine has been front and center of recent speculation as it's marketed as a high-end PC/console hybrid. The price of the Steam Machine is still up in the air, but the piece of hardware is said to be released in Q1 2026, further confirming recent rumors that Half-life 3 could be the launch title for Valve's new platform. If this is true, but the fact that Half-life 3 didn't show up at The Game Awards, but he did set a date for its alleged reveal, as it should be officially announced around the time pre-orders go live.

Half-Life 3 announcement date prediction

In this scenario Half-life 3 could very well appear in the coming weeks or months, depending on when exactly the Steam Machine launches and what Valve's plans are. Some are concerned that the PC/console hybrid could be quite expensive, and popular YouTuber Linus Tech Tips has given a price estimate for the Steam Machine based on what the component costs might be for Valve, which is around $699 for the retail version of the hardware. That's not confirmed, and Valve will reportedly announce the price closer to the hardware's 2026 release window, but speculation has the Steam Machine priced even higher than Linus Tech Tips' estimate, perhaps around $800.

If all this turns out to be correct, there may be a clear reason to delay the official announcement Half-life 3and that's to make it a big selling point for the Steam Machine, even in the face of potential backlash over the PC/console price. A potential timeline could be:

Steam Machine pricing and pre-orders will launch in early Q1 2026, possibly between late January and February.
Half-life 3 is announced at the same time, with more reveals and trailers coming up until the Steam Machine release date.
The Steam Machine release date is set between March and April Half-life 3.

Half-Life 3 could be sold as a Steam Machine exclusive.

Half-life 3 can have as much hype power as GTA 6given how long fans have been asking for a sequel to 2004's Half-Life 2. In this scenario Half-life 3An announcement and release would increase the hype surrounding the Steam Machine as well as increase its perceived value if Half-life 3 turns out to be a hardware exclusive.