"Half-Life 3" has been rumored to come out for the past several years, ever since Valve canceled "Half-Life 2: Episode Three." The game has never been officially confirmed or announced to be in development, but it is now rumored that it will indeed launch in 2018, just in time for the franchise's 20th anniversary.
According to Game N Guide, there are speculations suggesting that Valve is working on the third game in the series, but it may be drastically different compared to the first two titles. Some changes may include a brand new set of characters or even a new protagonist, hinting that Gordon may not return as the main hero in "Half-Life 3."
The report further states that if the game does indeed launch in 2018, it may no longer be a traditional FPS, and instead, it will be altered to specifically cater to Valve VR. With the Oculus Rift and other VR headsets now becoming the next step for video games, it is possible that "Half-Life 3" will be altered to cater to this new style.
"Resident Evil 7: Biohazard" is launching in January 2017, and it will be played as a traditional first-person horror game, but there is going to be a special VR mode that can be played when using the PlayStation VR headset.
University Herald also reports that the VR approach is the most likely choice for "Half-Life 3," given that Valve is heavily promoting their Valve VR department. VR is already becoming a new hot sub-genre on Steam, the digital platform for Valve and it is possible that their next main game will follow this trend.
It is also possible that "Half-Life 3" will not be the only game that is altered for this change in gaming trends. "Left 4 Dead 3" has been in development limbo for some time now as well, and it is possible that the game will use the same VR technology, too, especially if it succeeds for "Half-Life 3."
It is important to note that Valve has not responded to any of these rumors yet.
