Although Valve has yet to deliver on its promised three full VR titles (one was supposed to arrive this year), in typical Valve fashion the company’s ongoings are fundamentally a mystery to outsiders. Now, a PC Gamer report contends that Valve has not only named its upcoming VR project Half-Life: Alyx, but that it’s going to get a teaser at this year’s Game Awards.

Update (November 18th, 2019): Valve today confirmed the existence of Half-Life: Alyx and announced a reveal planned for Thursday.

PC Gamer’s report is based on a transcript of an alleged interview between Valve’s Robin Walker, founder and organizer of The Game Awards Geoff Keighly, and a third, unknown person.

The supposed transcript includes snippets of information provided by a user going by the name ‘Midoriyan’. As per the transcript, which is linked in the PC Gamer report, this is the same person behind the Dota Underlords leak from back in June.

In the supposed transcript, Keighly reportedly says that Half-Life: Alyx is slated to arrive in March 2020. A bit of conversation between the three also reveals that the game is allegedly a VR-only title, as it “began as an exploration of VR.”

Last month, Valve News Network’s Tyler McVicker offered up some cogent evidence of Half-Life related code popping up that details enemies, weapons, interactions, and settings the game will be built around.

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Leaked 'Half-Life VR' Code Could Offer Clues for Valve's Upcoming VR Game

At the time, McVicker postulated that Valve’s upcoming VR game would indeed be a Half-Life VR title set in the 20 year period between Half-Life and Half-Life 2. The player, he maintained at the time, will play the role of Alyx Vance, a central character in Half-Life 2.

As with all rumors and leaks, you’ll need to take it with a grain of salt, although with the promise of the game’s first bona fide announcement arriving during The Game Awards, which takes place on December 12th, we’re sure to know one way or the other fairly soon.

Provided the transcript leak is real though, it’s also possible Valve could be forced to delay the game and release word at some other venue. Either way, we’re hoping to hear more soon.

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Scott Hayden
Well before the first modern XR products hit the market, Scott recognized the potential of the technology and set out to understand and document its growth. He has been professionally reporting on the space for nearly a decade as Editor at Road to VR, authoring more than 4,000 articles on the topic. Scott brings that seasoned insight to his reporting from major industry events across the globe.
  • gothicvillas

    oh at least some news I guess… 4 weeks till 12/12.

    • Mei Ling

      Less than 4 weeks actually!

      • David Golden

        Four weeks plus three
        days if you count today

        • Mei Ling

          Just over three weeks – 24 days not counting today; three weeks and three days.

    • iThinkMyCatIsAFlea

      12×12=144

      1+4+4=9

      √9=3

  • Greyl

    So in Valve time, that means the game will actually come out 5 years from now?

  • Raphael

    This is going to be a massive disappointment. Firstly… Valve keep postponing this apparently which suggests they don’t have much confidence in their creation. Secondly… Valve’s VR creations consist only of demos/tech demos all of which force antiquated teleport.

    HL: Alyx… so what we have here is all of the HL FPS action stripped away. The amazing outdoor locations. The atmospheric coastal regions. All of that will be gone and what you’ll see is a teleport crippled game involving puzzles.

    • DanDei

      Wow, that are some far leaps to conclusions.
      Valve has always worked on Valve time and never cared to be punctual. How is that related to lesser confidence in their creation? Putting more work and therefore more money into a project shows rather more confidence to be worth the additional investment.
      Valve’s so far only VR was a demo kit to show off the VIVE to new VR users. That was back when designers were still looking for ways of locomotion that feel comfortable. Hardware and Software Designers were very carefull not to reinforce fears about the much overstated motion sickness. So The Lab only had teleportation. That was back in early 2016. Why do you think they haven’t evolved from those very early VR days along with the rest of the industry?
      And from those very weird assumptions you somehow extrapolate that HL:Alyx, a rumored game we practically know nothing about, will be a huge dissapointment because you think we can only teleport and won’t have FPS action and won’t have outdoor locations. What is wrong with your head?

      • Raphael

        It’s callled pessimistic speculation. Valve hasn’t produced a meaningful game since left4dead. Yes the HTC tech demos were produced in 2016… SteamVR has had countless updates… can you show me where they’ve added smooth locomotion option for the SteamVR home or any other parts?

        People have been wanting a HL3 for many years… HL: Alyx as a title doesn’t bode well. But I really hope I’m wrong on all counts. I don’t want to be right… I’m just being pessimistic

        • iThinkMyCatIsAFlea

          I’m expecting Alyx and d0g playing catch. In vr.

        • Charles

          The Lab is good, though it’s more of a huge tech demo than a full-length game.

    • Gonzax

      Man, no offence but you haven’t even seen a simple teaser yet, we know nothing about it. I’m sure it will have all of those things in spades and Alyx is a fantastic character, anyway.

  • namekuseijin

    one was supposed to arrive this year, just as new consoles were. we got a year worth of china trade wars and that delayed many great things…

    • Jeremiah Tothenations

      China need to be put in their place, I’m glad someone is finally standing up to those bullies.

  • I’m expecting something like Opposing Force or Blue Shift. Considering Barney was the star of the latter I am assuming it will be closer to Blue Shift. If I remember correctly there were rumors of an Alyx expansion a long time ago. Maybe this is what it became…

    • Jonathan Winters III

      Blue Shift is awesome

  • Andrew Jakobs

    Well, if it’s anything like The Lab, than I’m really looking forward to it. The Lab shows excellent ways to use VR.. But I guess, most people would have been very satisfied if they would release just a pack of the current Half-life games completely remastered for VR..

    • Raphael

      The lab is just a tech demo and I tried it twice before moving on. People are going to be very annoyed if Valve releases a HL game and it turns out to be another tech demo unconnected with HL action gameplay.

  • wooooow!