How was it acceptable for Valve to just .. not make Half Life 3?

[Tux_]

Im kind of confused as to why this game never got made. Business reasons? Franchise fatigue?

I mean I was never a huge fan of the franchise myself, but I remember the extreme hype HL2 had back in 2004, then the episodes in 2007.. To leave fans in the dark, feed them with non-answers in every single interview, and just straight up lie about its development for over a decade just seems kind of sinister. How can a company have so many demands for a specific game and just .. not make said game. What the hell?

Have you forgiven Valve for not making Half Life 3? Have you lost any respect for Valve? Or do companies have the right to make whatever they want, ignoring fan requests?



The video above shows Newell's change in approach to discussing Half-Life 3, with his 2007 enthusiasm having apparently completely evaporated three years later in 2010 onwards

 

[Masterspeed]

Because devs aren't forced to make anything we want.

What kind of question is that? All because they didn't finish a story doesn't mean they should make a new one. I know it was supposed to have an ep 3, but that doesn't mean they're forced to put out what we want.

 

[nekkid]

It's pretty shitty to not create closure from their cliffhanger, but at the end of the day it's up to them what they develop and release. They don't owe the fans anything.

 

[Cugel]

they make a shitload of money whithout having to.

 

[MykonosFan]

I'm always going to feel a void there, but I suppose I'd rather them do it this way than force out a project they didn't have passion for.

 

[Solaris]

It bothered me for a while and now I don't care anymore and have full acceptance it won't ever come out.

We can't force Valve to make it just like we can't force GRRM to finish ASOIAF.

I think it's perfectly fine to have less respect for them for just abandoning a franchise before it's finished though.

 

[Deleted member 6263]

They haven't said a thing about HL3 for many years and we're still talking about it so I guess it's working out fine for them. At the end of the day - it's their choice and, thankfully, it's not really a loss for me but I can understand the frustration.

 

[Dest]

Valve is a company that really values publishing a high quality product. I think expectations got so high for Half-Life 3 that they're really waiting for the moment where they can recapture the magic of Half-Life 2. Since then games have gotten bigger on scale and graphics, but nothing has had that same "wow" factor for many people since. Valve wants that again. I still firmly believe HL3 is a thing and will eventually come out, they just need the tech and time to realize and fulfill everyones needlessly large expectations.

 

[dmoe]

I hope they cancelled it, it will never live up to the hype. Dont even bother at this point

 

[bluexy]

I mean, as a Half-Life fan it sucks. It sucks a lot. But it helps me maintain perspective to think about this one thing: Valve is not your bitch. No developer is your bitch. They make what they want when they want and that's the bottom line.

 

[Betty]

Because PC players didn't do enough to make it happen and kept greasing Valve's pockets though other means.

The only way it get's made at this point is if Valve decides it want's to be passionate about something again.

 

[dogbox]

They were an early adopter of loot box / GaaS style game design, like the TF2 redesign, Dota 2. I always figured they focused on that so heavily that IP that don't fit that mould, like Half-Life, were put aside.

 

[Dyle]

It's like that old Miyamoto quote, "A game that is made just to satiate fans is forever bad, but a game that is never made at all is neither bad nor good"

 

[Deleted member 2618]

They're a private company and they can do whatever the fuck they want.

That being said, I think its shitty to not say its canceled now. They know its never gonna happen. I need some kind of closure to Half Life and going on a decade of "Nothing to say at this time about Episode 3" is infuriating. Just say its fucking canceled.

 

[JustJavi]

I'm too old to care anymore

 

[Deleted member 32374]

From what I understand, they couldn't put together something they were satisfied with before they moved away from traditional Single Player games after Portal 2.

Even if they made the game now, it wouldn't be the same team that made the awesome 'Orange Box' collection of games, so the ship has sailed into the mists, never to return.

I mean the head writer released the general story outline for the would have been Half Life 2 Ep 3 or whatever. Its over.

 

[Deleted member 15227]

Hubris.

 

[vestan]

Devs can make whatever the fuck they want.

Valve at the end of the day is a privately-held company. They aren't at the whims of any shareholder, forced to make 20 HL games to make a profit. As much as I'd like a HL3, it isn't happening. I like Valve's position within the industry right now, focusing on hardware and VR.

HL3 would never live up to expectations in the first place, so why bother?

 

[Linus815]

It's like that old Miyamoto quote, "A game that is made just to satiate fans is forever bad, but a game that is never made at all is neither bad nor good"

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is it me, or is this Miyamoto quote changes literally every thread now lol

 

[Eumi]

"Acceptable"?

They can make or not make whatever they damn well please, assuming they aren't breaking any laws or anything like that.

 

[Hace]

capitalism owes you nothing

 

[Dust]

Do you want Half Life as a card game or some MMO thing?

 

[Deleted member 18742]

I think it's more strange Valve just does not make new single player or edven multiplayer games anymore considering their pedigree of past games

 

[Sean Mirrsen]

Half-life 3 is a Duke Nukem Forever situation. It has monumental shoes to fill, an incomprehensible amount of franchise power and unreachable expectations. It's a game that, unless it positions itself as a pivot in a massive revolution in the medium, is better off not being made because the end result will never be acceptable otherwise. (I mean... I'm not saying Duke Nukem was all that massive, but the hype built around it along its entire agonizing development cycle certainly built it up to a similar situation)

There's curious rumblings that the Valve Index and the Boneworks project could be related to something along those lines, but that's honestly more wishful thinking than anything else. A Half-Life 3 would have to be an exceptional game in every respect to even pass muster at this point.

 

[Spider-Man]

Because devs aren't forced to make anything we want.

What kind of question is that? All because they didn't finish a story doesn't mean they should make a new one. I know it was supposed to have an ep 3, but that doesn't mean they're forced to put out what we want.

Click to shrink...

Huh? This is such a naive post.

Episode 2 was left on a cliffhanger and Episode 3 was announced and we never got it.

They promised Episode 3 and yet we continue to wait and with no closure for the franchise.

They can do whatever they like but it's clear they failed to make the game and don't have the talent do it anymore.

 

[Dyle]

is it me, or is this Miyamoto quote changes literally every thread now lol

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It's like that time when Miyamoto saw a picture of someone miquoting him on the internet and said "Please do not do that"

 

[scare_crow]

"Have you forgiven Valve for not making Half Life 3?"

What a ridiculous question. That said, they should just say if it's cancelled at this point.

 

[jsnepo]

What's unacceptable is they keep selling Half-Life 2 and its episodes without the promise of a conclusion. I think that's scummy.

 

[Robin]

It bothered me for a while and now I don't care anymore and have full acceptance it won't ever come out.

We can't force Valve to make it just like we can't force GRRM to finish ASOIAF.

I think it's perfectly fine to have less respect for them for just abandoning a franchise before it's finished though.

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This right here.

Because PC players didn't do enough to make it happen and kept greasing Valve's pockets though other means.

The only way it get's made at this point is if Valve decides it want's to be passionate about something again.

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Not sure why the onus would be on the fans?

 

[Jecht]

It's pretty shitty to not create closure from their cliffhanger, but at the end of the day it's up to them what they develop and release. They don't owe the fans anything.

Click to shrink...

That's true in most cases. I think in this one it's a bit different when they sold Episode 1 and 2 on the promise of third game that would close that saga. I'm sure that isn't what they intended to happen, but when you consider that HL2:E2 doesnt even have a teaser after the credits for E3 like E1 did for E2, well..I don't know.

I think the op's question is framed in the completely wrong (and inflammatory) way, but saying they don't owe fans when they sold them titles based on what became a lie? Eh....It deserves discussion instead of off hand dismissal, especially when you consider all the trolling from Valve over the years.

 

[ThankDougie]

Valve is a company that really values publishing a high quality product.

Click to shrink...

 

[KDR_11k]

Define "acceptable". I don't think anybody is really giving them much of a pass for not continuing their unfinished story, people have just given up on it ever happening and moved on.

Valve's reason is apparently that they couldn't think of something to make HL3 special, similar to Nintendo's reason for not doing F-Zero anymore.

 

[Loanshark]

I really dont think its a healthy attitude to have, feeling that developers are indebted to you personally, and then talking about things like you "forgiving" them. As long as they havent screwed your over with their previous products, they dont owe you anything. If anything, you might want to take an approach of gratitude instead if you have enjoyed their previous products.

 

[Tux_]

"Have you forgiven Valve for not making Half Life 3?"

What a ridiculous question. That said, they should just say if it's cancelled at this point.

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I mean, I don't think it's really ridiculous. If I was a massive fan of this franchise and was fed lies and BS for over a decade I would be pissed off and angry at said company over the situation.

They don't "owe" me anything, but to lie about it for 10 years is ridiculous. Just say its not happening and we're all good.

 

[Deleted member 3897]

Click to shrink...

How is that bait?

 

[Vault]

They basically swore off AAA development after Half life 2

They have been doing smaller experimental projects ever since, an AAA single player shooter doesn't fit in with that culture

 

[Dest]

Click to shrink...

Steam is a great platform, people love Dota 2 and Counter-Strike still. Sure Artifact bombed but, that's one time. The Vive is a great headset and I'm sure the Index is as well. I'm not sure what about my post is bait, exactly.

 

[vestan]

I think it's more strange Valve just does not make new single player

Click to shrink...

?

 

[Lord Vatek]

Half-Life 3 is one of those things that people need to move on from. It's not happening and it's not worth pining over for 15 years.

 

[Vareon]

How do we do not accept it? It's their game and their company, they can do whatever they want.

 

[vestan]

Click to shrink...

Fam, how is he wrong????????????????????

 

[Masterspeed]

Huh? This is such a naive post.

Episode 2 was left on a cliffhanger and Episode 3 was announced and we never got it.

They promised Episode 3 and yet we continue to wait and with no closure for the franchise.

They can do whatever they like but it's clear they failed to make the game and don't have the talent do it anymore.

Click to shrink...

So what? I know they promised and I'd be the happiest man in the world if they continued it, but they aren't forced to do anything.

It wasn't part of a season pass, they didn't put up preorders, we haven't seen a announcement trailer or anything. We have no right to hang it over their head to finish a game just because we want them to.

They've been making Half Life for years, they're bored and wanted to do something different. Bungie left Msoft because they didn't want to make Halo forever. Valve just had the balls to do what they want, even if it was a terrible card game and a Moba.

 

[Deleted member 1444]

⠀

 

[Mexen]

At this point, I don't even need HL 3 to redefine the genre. I just want a conclusion. Otherwise Rule 34 Gender Bender G-Man will be the canon I accept.

Edit: regarding Luna's post, I am half expecting a VR title to be announced eventually.

 

[5taquitos]

Even if it was unacceptable, what are we supposed to do about it except cry ourselves to sleep each night?

 

[scare_crow]

I mean, I don't think it's really ridiculous. If I was a massive fan of this franchise and was fed lies and BS for over a decade I would be pissed off and angry at said company over the situation.

They don't "owe" me anything, but to lie about it for 10 years is ridiculous. Just say its not happening and we're all good.

Click to shrink...

Asking if you've forgiven them implies that you were holding some sort of grudge or you've been wronged in some way. Come on, folks. Disappointment is one thing. I can understand that. But asking whether or not you've forgiven a company for not making a product you want seems very silly to me.

 

[out_of_touch]

HL series is historically tech demo, they've no new tech to show off since Source. This could change with Index

 

[Goddo Hando]

it's acceptable to me, because after they released episode 2 they went on a run of releasing TF2, the Portal series, and the L4D series.
Five of the greatest FPS's ever released.

 

[Deleted member 18021]

It is kinda shitty that they led people on for so long, and it would be nice if they had just come out and said it wasn't going to happen.

They were an early adopter of loot box / GaaS style game design, like the TF2 redesign, Dota 2. I always figured they focused on that so heavily that IP that don't fit that mould, like Half-Life, were put aside.

Click to shrink...

This is certainly part of the problem, along with Steam blowing up as it did.
RIP, Day of Defeat.

 

[StreamedHams]

I waited 10 years for a proper sequel to Metal Gear. MGS for the PlayStation turned out alright.

Also, it was a little longer between SFIII 3S and the arcade release of SFIV.

Things take time. Never means never, until it doesn't.

To be honest, if Valve doesn't want to make HL3, I don't want a product they didn't want. I want something like the first two, where it was obvious they were crafted with care.