It’s not Half-Life 3. It’s not even Half-Life 2: Episode 3. But Valve is getting ready to fully unveil a new Half-Life game this Thursday. Titled Half-Life: Alyx, this “flagship VR” game from Valve will be the first new named entry (not counting the Portal series) in more than 12 years, and even longer if you don’t count the Half-Life 2 expansions. As PlayStation owners, get ready to be disappointed though. It’s unlikely the new title from Valve will make its way to the PlayStation VR platform, at least not at first.
We’re excited to unveil Half-Life: Alyx, our flagship VR game, this Thursday at 10am Pacific Time.
Can’t wait to share it with all of you! pic.twitter.com/BupFCxSrTw
— Valve (@valvesoftware) November 18, 2019
The only place console players got to play the Half-Life games was when Half-Life 2 and Episodes 1 and 2 released through The Orange Box collection, along with Portal. Portal 2 has been the only Valve game to launch on release day on a PlayStation platform. The company is notoriously PC focused, and when it does release games on consoles, Xbox tends to be prioritized (Left 4 Dead).
The image in Valve’s tweet specifically notes Steam VR, with no mention or appearance of PSVR anywhere. If Half-Life: Alyx is set to appear on Sony’s virtual reality headset, Valve isn’t tipping its hand. Not much else is known about Half-Life: Alyx yet. Alyx Vance was a character that appeared in Half-Life 2 and its subsequent Episodes 1 and 2, and it can be presumed that the VR game will follow her in some way. The bigger question on everyone’s mind right now is if the first new Half-Life game in well over a decade will lead to a resurgence of the franchise and a release of the now mythical Half-Life 3.
Valve will reveal Half-Life: Alyx on Thursday, November 21 at 10am Pacific/1pm Eastern.
