Speaking about high dynamic range (HDR) audio implementation at the industry conference, Morasky said: "Our HDR system is basically that's one of the three pieces that come together to make an HDR that you can easily optimize. And in fact, I think Deadlock has their own version of HDR. HLX has its own version, so on and so forth." The codename HLX has been spotted in Valve engine code since at least 2024, but this is the first time a Valve employee has publicly referenced it. The slip comes after years of speculation about a true sequel to Half-Life 2, fuelled last year by reports that Half-Life 3 was nearing completion.
Valve composer accidentally confirms 'HLX' as Half-Life project in public slip
Mike Morasky referenced the internal codename during a GameSoundCon panel, marking the first official acknowledgment by a Valve employee.
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Valve composer and audio artist Mike Morasky inadvertently confirmed the existence of an internal project codenamed 'HLX' during a panel at GameSoundCon this week, offering the closest official indication yet that a new Half-Life game is in development.
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Analysis
Why This Matters
- This is the first public confirmation from a Valve employee that an internal project with the Half-Life-associated codename HLX exists.
- It may signal that Valve is actively developing a new game in the series after a long hiatus since Half-Life 2 (2004).
- The gaming community will scrutinise any further hints from Valve about a formal announcement.
Background
Valve has not released a numbered Half-Life game since Half-Life 2 in 2004, though it has produced spin-offs, VR titles (Half-Life: Alyx), and other projects. The HLX codename has appeared in Valve's engine code for at least two years, leading to widespread fan speculation. The company is notoriously secretive about its development pipeline.
Key Perspectives
Fans and speculators: Excitement is high, with many treating this as a de facto confirmation that Half-Life 3 (or a related project) is in active development. Skeptics: Point out that Valve has a history of shelving projects and that an internal codename does not guarantee a released product. Valve: Has not officially commented on the slip or on any Half-Life project. The company's past approach has been to avoid discussing unannounced games.
What to Watch
- Any follow-up statements or leaks from Valve regarding HLX.
- Potential trademark filings or job listings related to the project.
- Whether official marketing or announcement material appears at future game events (e.g., The Game Awards, Valve Expo).
Sources
- Everybody panic: A Valve developer said "HLX" in public · Ars Technica - All content
Checked
9 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 4 supported.
Show each claim
- Partly supportedThe public mention confirmed that HLX is a Half-Life project.Ars Technica - All content: ““HLX,” of course, has been widely reported as the internal code name for Valve’s next Half-Life project.”
- Partly supportedMorasky’s panel reference was the first official acknowledgment by a Valve employee.Ars Technica - All content: “The codename has shown up in Valve engine code since at least 2024, but it has never been referenced in public by a Valve employee until now”
- Partly supportedMorasky’s mention was the closest official indication yet that a new Half-Life game is in development.Ars Technica - All content: “Amid all those rumors, though, we never got any official sign from anyone inside Valve that a Half-Life project was currently in development. That changed this week”
- Partly supportedMorasky inadvertently confirmed the existence of an internal project codenamed HLX at GameSoundCon.Ars Technica - All content: “That changed this week thanks to an apparent slip-up during a panel at GameSoundCon”
- SupportedMorasky said the quoted words about HDR and HLX at the panel.Ars Technica - All content: “Our HDR system is basically that's one of the three pieces that come together to make an HDR that you can easily optimize. And in fact, I think Deadlock has their own version of HDR. HLX has its own version, so on and so forth”
- SupportedMorasky is a Valve composer and audio artist, and he spoke at a GameSoundCon panel about HDR audio.Ars Technica - All content: “In a panel devoted to Valve's use of open audio engines (captured in this Vimeo clip), Valve composer and audio artist Mike Morasky let an interesting string of three letters slip while talking about the way the company implements high dynamic range (HDR) audio”
- SupportedThe HLX codename has appeared in Valve engine code since at least 2024.Ars Technica - All content: “The codename has shown up in Valve engine code since at least 2024”
- SupportedThis was the first time a Valve employee publicly referenced HLX.Ars Technica - All content: “it has never been referenced in public by a Valve employee until now”
- Partly supportedLast year’s reports that Half-Life 3 was nearing completion fuelled speculation about a true Half-Life 2 sequel.Ars Technica - All content: “Gamers still hoping against hope for a true follow-up to Half-Life 2 (after so, so many years) may remember last year's flurry of speculation that Half-Life 3 was finally nearing completion.”