A recent Dota 2 update has added new Source 2 engine strings that dataminers are connecting to HLX, a rumored internal codename long associated with Half-Life development at Valve.
With the recent Steam Machine announcement, which will see Valve attempt to find purchase in the console landscape, the speculation around new Half-Life games, particularly a Half-Life 3, has seen a second wind. The possibility of a Half-Life 3 has been a massive gaming meme for multiple decades, and that meme is showing no sign of showing down.
The latest example of this frenzy has been the hype around ‘HLX’. HLX is rumored to be the codename for a new Half-Life game and, while any such rumors should be taken with a healthy serving of salt, many fans have become zealots for this potential. These players have mostly congregated on Reddit, using tools like Miro to construct massive conspiracy boards around HLX and the evidence surrounding a new Half-Life game.
Another domino has fallen for those observing HLX developments, with the changes appearing in Dota 2‘s publicly trackable update history sparking discussion. Tyler McVicker, a YouTuber who tracks Valve projects, highlighted the findings and teased an upcoming video breaking down what the code changes might indicate. He suggested the update contains multiple strings that could point to ongoing work on an unannounced project.
The HLX codename has surfaced repeatedly in Source 2 game files over the years, in addition to numerous insider comments. Recently, McVicker stated on X that HLX is likely to come to fruition in 2026, while also batting away the notion that the ‘X’ in HLX may stand for the letter itself, arguing instead that HLX is a generic mark of Half-Life development.
The future of Half-Life remains uncertain
Whether Half-Life 3 is real or not, the speculation has moved away from the jocular and towards the serious. While many fans are calling the Miro conspiracy boards delusion, reposting a ‘hopium’ meme involving a wojak of Gordon Freeman, just as many are hanging on to every code reference or insider leak they can find.
Valve remains silent on Half-Life‘s future. The company hasn’t released a new entry in the mainline series since Half-Life 2: Episode Two in 2007, though Half-Life: Alyx arrived as a VR exclusive in 2020. However, the upcoming launch of the Steam Machine could change matters, as a Half-Life launch title would be the perfect way to drum up hype, especially in the midst of pricing fears.
