Half-Life 3 Rumored Revival with Valve's New Acquisition

The acclaimed Risk of Rain developers, Hopoo Games, have made a significant move, with key personnel, including co-founders Duncan Drummond and Paul Morse, joining Valve's game development team.

Hopoo Games' Transition to Valve

Projects Paused, "Snail" on Hold

Hopoo Games announced on Twitter (X) that several developers, including its co-founders, are transitioning to Valve. This decision has resulted in a temporary halt to Hopoo Games' current projects, notably the unannounced title "Snail." While the nature of this transition remains unclear—permanent or temporary—Drummond and Morse's LinkedIn profiles still list their Hopoo Games affiliations. The studio expressed gratitude for its decade-long partnership with Valve and excitement for contributing to their upcoming projects. The announcement concluded with a playful "sleep tight, Hopoo Games," signaling the pause in "Snail's" development.

Founded in 2012 by Drummond and Morse, Hopoo Games achieved notable success with the Risk of Rain series. Following the 2019 release of Risk of Rain 2, Hopoo Games sold the IP to Gearbox Software in 2022. Drummond recently voiced his confidence in Gearbox's continued development of the series, specifically mentioning the recently released Risk of Rain 2: Seekers of the Storm DLC.

Valve's "Deadlock" and the Persistent Half-Life 3 Speculation

While the specifics of Hopoo Games' involvement at Valve remain undisclosed, the move fuels speculation about their contribution to Valve's projects. Valve's current major title, the hero shooter "Deadlock," is currently in early access. However, the enduring rumors surrounding Half-Life 3 have intensified following this announcement.

Recent updates to a voice actor's online portfolio briefly mentioned a mysterious "Project White Sands" linked to Valve. Although quickly removed, this sparked fervent fan theories connecting "White Sands" to Half-Life 3, drawing parallels between "White Sands" (a New Mexico park) and Black Mesa, the setting of the original Half-Life and its fan-made remake. As reported by Eurogamer, this connection has ignited considerable online discussion among Half-Life fans.