Valve already prepping Half-Life 2: Episode Two

The second expansion for the ultrapopular PC shooter is in the works and will build on Episode One's cliff-hanger ending.

Just over a week ago, Valve Software changed the name of Half-Life 2: Aftermath to Half-Life 2: Episode One. The obvious implication was that, instead of one or two major expansion packs, the developer was planning to release a series of episodic updates to its award-winning PC shooter. That scheme was confirmed to GameSpot by the famously terse Doug Lombardi, Valve's director of marketing, in a series of single-word e-mails.

Given Valve's plans, it should come as little or no surprise that, yes, there will be a Half-Life 2: Episode Two. Speaking with British site Computer and Video Games, Valve designer Robin Walker said that a second expansion "has been in development for some time." He gave no release window for the expansion, though it will obviously be several months after Episode One's April 24 ship date.

Walker also let slip a few hints about the plots of both expansion packs. "Episode One will not end with an all-encompassing conclusion", he said, comparing it to Half-Life 2's less-than-cut-and-dry denouement. He also preemptively addressed any fears that the series will stray from its roots, saying Valve has "to be considerate to our audience in terms of giving them what they want."

56 Comments

  • marin_352

    Posted Aug 9, 2006 8:00 am PT

    everything about the graphics is great but i want to know more about the story because it's so interesting........ one of the best games ever!!!!!!!

  • Vietnamgamer

    Posted Aug 7, 2006 12:33 pm PT

    I can't wait for Half-Life 2: Episode Two to come out, from the looks of the trailer, it's got fine graphics, and new enemies to conquer, some new weapons, and more great gameplay. (I don't care if it's only four or six hours long, any VALVe/ Half-Life 2 game is fun!!!) The only let down is I will probably have to update my video card, oh well...

  • its_toby

    Posted Jul 17, 2006 3:09 am PT

    yea...i need to upgrade my video card too...dnt want to miss out on all the great new features of episode two!!

  • PaulMcCool

    Posted Jul 16, 2006 11:45 am PT

    Keep it up, I love it. I am sure other players like myself enjoy the anticipation of new episodes to one of the best games ever made, nearly as much as playing them. Especially with the price and short release span. It's real candy to the FPS addict.

  • stephant_6

    Posted Jul 4, 2006 10:52 pm PT

    So does Alyx die in episode 2?? Cause it sure looks that way!

  • jonth23

    Posted Jun 11, 2006 7:55 pm PT

    this is freakin anwsome dude i hope they make a Half Life Ep. 10 lol.

  • fairlypriced

    Posted Jun 11, 2006 1:13 pm PT

    Just completed EP1 cant wait for EP2. I'd rather they release lots of 4-6 hour content regularly than have the massive wait like we had for HL2.

    The trailer for Episode 2 is doing the rounds on the web and looks to include some entertaining new weapons and enemies. Awesome.

  • wlada5

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 8:27 am PT

    Ohh god!! The game is awsome!!! But one slide problem! ITS TOO SHORT!!! I completed it in 4 hours!! If the second episode will be so short then it will not be so interesting as the HALF-LIFE 2!! Great source engine
    !!

  • jakeboudville

    Posted May 25, 2006 11:05 pm PT

    this is cool

  • dcool1

    Posted Apr 12, 2006 2:19 am PT

    Yeah!!!

  • anti_xenomorph

    Posted Mar 15, 2006 7:25 pm PT

    I guess they are making up for the seven years of inactivity. Thats what it looks like. HL2 is getting alot of official addons.

  • protossdragoon

    Posted Mar 15, 2006 5:57 pm PT

    i am really waiting for this part two of half life 2. I've already finished the first episode and i want to see what happens after the place in city 17 blows up.
    Does gordon die? Did Alyx aslo die? if they lived, what would the future be like? still the first game was a great game and i loved it. now i am expecting a better looking and playing game.

  • blitzkrieg13

    Posted Feb 27, 2006 8:05 pm PT

    Does anybody have info on improvements in graphics, like better shadows?

  • soulessjay

    Posted Feb 23, 2006 1:25 pm PT

    Awesome

  • sudoh_kyoichi

    Posted Feb 22, 2006 2:16 pm PT

    Now only if Half-Life 2 would just work on my computer. I got half way through it, working perfectly. Then all of a sudden it locks up in loading every time. Tried everything I could think of until it drove my crazy and I gave up on it.

  • farnes

    Posted Feb 22, 2006 2:13 pm PT

    ohh yeahhh...more half life 2
    sweet

  • cajunXLVII

    Posted Feb 22, 2006 12:28 pm PT

    there will be no hl2 episodes on 360. hl2 doesn't sell well there. pc only. yep. sorry. maybe ya can get halo episodes?

    gabe said that the hl2 episodes will cost about the price of going see a movie. $8??? unless he counts the food stuffs he eats at the movies? then we looking at $40+.

  • HugoFromBoss

    Posted Feb 22, 2006 11:03 am PT

    WOOT! More HL2 Action

  • runstalker

    Posted Feb 22, 2006 10:55 am PT

    If you guys can't handle 19.99 or 29.99 every 5 months, you have bigger life issues to deal with than the pricing scheme. I'll happily pay 20 bucks for 4 to 6 hours of Valve-caliber entertainment a few times a year, building the characters and story up to Half-Life 3.

  • soulitier

    Posted Feb 22, 2006 7:14 am PT

    damn they move fast

  • regulesblade

    Posted Feb 22, 2006 6:14 am PT

    This is great to hear, I hope to read more on it

  • dryden555

    Posted Feb 22, 2006 5:17 am PT

    Be cautious about these "episodes" until the reviews come out. There better be genuinely new content in each one and they better not be ultra-short.

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Feb 22, 2006 5:15 am PT

    smart. HL rules.

  • Reetesh

    Posted Feb 22, 2006 3:25 am PT

    Wow already Episode two has started productions I think there will be NO delays this time they are AHEAD schedule

  • jakeboudville

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 11:01 pm PT

    sweet!

  • Atomic_Mutant

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 9:47 pm PT

    Valve needs to work on a new ip. Wait. Maybe they already are.

  • vicsrealms

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 8:16 pm PT

    Woot, keep it coming Valve. If you keep that up I might even put away the originals to buy the 2nd one.

  • FuguNabe

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 7:00 pm PT

    Awesome. HL:E2 coming out on the only platform that matters for FPS, the PC.

  • i_love_my_ds

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 6:32 pm PT

    just another way for companies to make money. remember halo 2's ending? i bet u that'll lead to great sales.

  • S7ATER

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 5:57 pm PT

    Sweet

  • Gmex

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 5:30 pm PT

    of course they would make an episode 2 it's on of the most popular series out there

  • Binpo

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 5:26 pm PT

    now its gona come out 69084694638695 times longer. about the half life or Uranium to decompose

  • dawooten

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 4:58 pm PT

    hooray for more half-life 2

  • Benihana7

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 4:01 pm PT

    Awesome, but right now I'm more interested in Episode one than two.

  • NeoJedi

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 3:51 pm PT

    Not sure about the episodic content yet, but good news nonetheless.

  • Kholdstare_fire

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 3:41 pm PT

    More HL2 is ALWAYS a good thing!!
    But it should stay on PC.

  • molivers7

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 3:41 pm PT

    Is that money I smell? Yes, yes it is.

  • BigD

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 3:39 pm PT

    Well the sin guys hope to get on the 360 so i don't see why valve wouldn't

  • Orasion_Seiz

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 3:21 pm PT

    this is great news

  • rencie

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 3:09 pm PT

    Can't get the expansion pack done in time? Release it in episodes!


    Cliffhanger endings = Even after they take your $20, you still won't get answers.

  • Oni

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 3:04 pm PT

    I want Episode 1!! C'mon Valve stop teasing us!! :p

  • AMURO5

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 2:58 pm PT

    I dunno if thisll make it to the 360, the xbox halflife doesnt seem to be doing too good

  • Berserker_2

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 2:54 pm PT

    Already? After 2 years, you would think they would have released an entire new game.

    It will flop. Unless the "episodes" are whole games, it won't work.

  • DrSbaitso

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 2:50 pm PT

    I remember Gabe saying that his favorite game was World of Warcraft and loved the idea of having new content released periodically and the fact that customers had to pay a monthly fee, in releasing this episodic stuff it seems he really is trying to do something similar in offering pay to play content, just as he hinted at a while back

  • quatoe

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 2:41 pm PT

    that is awesome, just don't make us wait 6 years again for a full sequel

  • coolcool23

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 2:30 pm PT

    You have to release the first one now. THE FIRST ONE!!!!!!!

  • bossjimbob

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 2:21 pm PT

    Come on, Valve. Make with the 360 version already!

  • Hawko7090

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 2:15 pm PT

    So, a sequel is announced to a newly announced sequel... Awesome... We love you Valve, so please, let us play the game before spoiling that we won't know sheit after this one either.
    But I'll buy it, since I'm a consumerwhore.

  • Mafia217

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 2:12 pm PT

    yes!!

  • doomsoth

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 2:08 pm PT

    Awesome! Keep the great games coming Valve!

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