No Half-Life 2: Episode 3 until 2011?

well consider that it only took them about a year to release each of the first two episodes. and now four years if ever to release the third? naw, there's problems. Personally i think there's too much gripe over the "graphics being dated" junk. I think HL2 still looks phenomenal and i'd happily play a game with the same engine as long as i get a nice conclusion to the story

with HL2 they essentially introduced an entirely new enemy and world. i'd be kind of surprised if they continued using the combine in HL3. and if thats true, they'd be leaving the story unfinished if they ditched ep3. and thats on top of leaving us with events reaching a crazy creshendo with ep2. maybe they will release ep3 with the L4D2 version of source, and leave source2.0 or whatever for HL3 in a decade or so. and we'll salivate over screenshots for 5 years or so prior to release. +2 more years after someone steals their code.

This game seems to be on the same path than Duke Nukem Forever.

this is all about marketing. they are expecting more and more new users and gamer generations to know, play and admire HL saga. they are stretching everything for that. they want to have the record of selling for HL3 or HLep3 whatever, i am a huge fan of this game and i hate to wait this long for a game. the end of ep2 was too sad and its unfair to have us waiting for something we dont know if it is going to be released in one, two or 3 f...ng years!!! valve needs us!! and they are dissapointing a lot of people with this anormal silenced actitude. lets put ourselves against Valve, they need us and we need more HL!!! how many times are we going to finish the entire saga or portal or L4D/2???? how many times? is this necessary? we are your best publicity machine, reviews, articles, comments, rumors, forums, fansites, all in the web!! think about us valve, not about your money. you need OUR money... this is our favorite game... so, give it to us!!

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it takes time to make a quality videogame. the half life series always pushes the gaming experience to the next level regarding not only graphical detail but level design. anyone who's played these games knows that you're not constantly doing the same thing... half life 2 took videogames to the next level, with the amazing atmosphere and pacing, but it wasn't the graphics alone, the gravity gun changed up the experience dramatically. what will valve do next? who knows, play other games, just be ready for this next sequel because it will change videogames forever. it might be even 2012 or 2013 who cares!

Gah, I don't think that 7 years is the time frame they had in mind when they claimed that releasing episodically would be faster.

this is disappointing... but if they are making a full game then it's going to be epic

2011? Disappointing... I cant wait for it to come out though. Should be worth the wait at lest.

If it isnt released in DLC for the console generation, or as orange box 2.0, i will be severly dissapointed in valve. I miss playing half life with a controller without spending 1000$+ on a gaming rig...

I dont know guys,but looks like they are waiting for the next gen of consoles to launch the game,because probably this gen cant handle this new episode,and we pc gamers are always screwed by that.

oh well..I have been waiting for this game for the last 3 years, and I'll wait another year to play the best game ever. but the problem is I'm getting Old :(

OMFG till 2011 or maybe 2012 omg when i finished hl2ep2 in march 2009 i said man i cant wait for hl2ep3 to come out in end of 2009 now i see its till 2011 omfg

well, i'd say after almost 3 years and still not a word, with a MAYBE in 2011. then ep. 3's gone the way of duke forever. They really screwed players over on this particular story, cutting it off right when it got good :/ they should at least finish it up

Just hurry up guys, we want the new episode as soon as possible And like what they said ...HALF-LIFE FOREVER...

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4 years too late on this expansion, no thanks. ill spend my money on a game with a new graphics engine, rather than waste my money on a half arse expansion milking this series for every dime you can get out of it...

Man I am such a twit! The episodic business plan never failed, remember how a couple of years ago Gabe Newell was saying in an interview how much Valve enjoyed the Character Cpl Shepard from Opposing force and they wanna bring him back? Well thats probably, and Im just speculating here, what they're pushing for in the next installment / "Episode". All the characters that went "missing" like: Shepard and Barney... Man what the hell happened to Barney?!? Any takers as to what the new story line's gonna be like?

OMG, what the hell do they do with all the money they make on their games?? Just save it in a bank account? What the hell is going on in that freaking studio. You people just sold millions of copies of L4D2. Maybe you should use some of that cash to start making that episode 3..... Seriously, whats taking so long? Can someone from Valve comment on this? Tell your customers whats going on? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

oh crap thats a long wait.

This is stating the obvious, when half life 3 or episode 3 comes out, it will have a brand new SOURCE engine... it's common sense there's no doubt. Esp. with all the leaked screen shots that looked insane if true. Have to also realize that with a new engine like that it will be great for counterstrike and other games that were based off the source engine as well... personally I can't wait for counterstrike 2 with the new source engine.

Bah, forget EPS.3 bring on HL3, with a newer graphics system!

Like many on here, Half-Life is my favorite video game series. As sad as it is to have to wait.. I remember when I first witness the HL2 source engine and was completely blown away, if they're planning on upping the technology for the next installment(new source engine), between the success of L4D,Portal,TF2 and Steam.. I can only imagine how amazing it would be. Maybe they'll be some crazy tie in with Adrian Shephard.. hah.

@ glassjaw7 Agree completely. As previously stated: Half Life: Forever

At this point I would play Episode 3 with the old graphics engine. JUST PUT THE DAMN GAME OUT VALVE!!! Does Valve not realize the ENORMOUS fan base they have for this series? I can honestly say that Half-Life 2 is my favorite game of all time. I read an interview with one of the developers where he said Episodes 1-3 ARE Half-Life 3 and that a true sequel would take over 10 years to make it as good as HL2 was compared to HL1. I completely disagree! Just work on the new game and it will get done and be amazing!

L4D has got a lot to answer for the delay.. I hope they bring out HL3 and a new counter strike with an all new engine (source v2?) + Destructable environments + AI & environment director v3!!

I want this game so bad!!!!!

It's like they enjoy shooting themselves in the foot.

epiode 3 why not just half life 3. half live 2 and its episodes are awesome and were great to play through but why don't they just make half life 3. but you know valve take for ever on everything but on the plus side they make sure there games are awesome.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! But at least it'll be good. I mean, we're talking Valve here.

Half Life Forever

Sounds like HL3 is coming out before HL2:Ep3 :lol:

If it's going to take 4 years! It better be longer than the previous episodes as awesome as they were.

And we'll all wait, eagerly. Valve is the best for a reason.

All I have to say is that we better get some god damn new weapons already!

Sounds like its going go the same way as sin episodes

Come on Valve, no more zombies and frying pans, bring us back to the sad and beautiful world of HalfLife with it's rusted russian cars, abandoned boats and lonely beacons nicely colored by a mild light of a sunrise. No nextgen colors please. I can admit I have fallen in love with Alyx since her "doctor Freeman I presume". I want to have a boy and a girl with her in a sequel. Please Valve, bring her back. Would buy the game only to hear her " Oh, Gordon, you'r my hero"

Makes sense that after all this time, they'd not want to make Episode 3. I mean think about it, who would be satisfied to wait nearly 4 years or possibly longer for a 3-4 hour game?

This makes me sad. At least we know that whatever does turn up whenever it is will be quality. ValVe are pi0neers. YES .

Valve time....

Gameplay>Graphics Always

@TheDude722 : The L4D series is too big a franchise for them to put it in the Orange box 2 with HL2:E3. I doubt that would ever happen. They'd probably bring something else new and interesting to the table. Like portal was for the original Orange Box, but an entirely different game in and of itself. :-)

Christmas Wish: Orange Box 2 to include Half-Life 2 Episode 3, Portal 2, and Left 4 Dead 2... now THAT would be awesome, haha ;)

The thing that Tor seems to have forgotten whilst reporting on this rumour, is that they have a perfectly good graphics engine in Left 4 Dead 2 that is based originally on the half-life 2 graphics engine. And because of this, would it not be quite a bit easier to simply copy and paste some of the tweaks and improvements over to the new episodes graphics section of the episode?(I know it's not this simple, but you know what I mean.) Ah well... I've got plenty of other games to occupy my time with so I can definitely wait. Plus, we Haven't really got a choice... They'll release it when they're good and ready. For that I'm glad. Because Valve dosn't release half done work. They take their time. :-)

All time Top 3 for me... I'd love a better looking version though

Its taken so long to make ep3, if its not as long as HL2 i will be dissapoint!

i hope they go ahead & release ep3 soon & then begin working on HL3. or whatever. they just need to release another HL game PRONTO!!

Someone tell Valve that we still love Half-Life

Ep2 engine looks better than a lot of current games. Some things are ageing, but it still looks amazing and with a few tweaks I would be more than happy with its continued use.

BTW ... They better not pull a Duke Nukem forever on this! :D