Valve’s hardware is now official, but the game in question is not, even though it is reportedly very much in development, with an external factor potentially complicating everything.
The Game Awards have come and gone, and despite countless rumors, Half-Life 3 did not appear. Still, all hope is not lost. In the latest episode of the Insider Gaming Weekly podcast, journalist Mike Straw shared new information about the status of Valve’s long-rumored game. According to his sources, Valve is holding back the announcement because issues surrounding RAM prices in the PC industry will affect the final price of the Steam Machine. Since the game is meant to be a major launch title for the new hardware, there is little sense in announcing it until the hardware itself is ready to launch. The original target window for both was spring 2026.
“I just wanted to give a quick update on things. People have been asking. I was given a date, but I didn’t want to report it because they weren’t 100 percent confident, and that date has now passed, which justified holding back. Every journalist I’ve spoken to, every creator who follows and investigates this, every single date they were given has already passed. Right now, everyone I’ve talked to is still adamant that Half-Life 3 will be a launch title for the Steam Machine. The concern is that they haven’t locked in a price yet, which is holding back all other announcements. The reason is PC RAM prices. They’re up 200 percent, 300 percent, even 500 percent compared to October, and it’s only getting worse. I was told the release window was spring 2026 for the Steam Machine, Steam Frame, Steam Controller, and Half-Life 3. At the end of the day, the game is real. There’s no denying it.
At this point, it’s not a matter of if, but when. All signs pointed to a December announcement. Then everything hit the fan, and I think that’s what caused the concern. The Steam Machine was supposed to launch by the end of Q1 2026, but I’m starting to wonder whether that hardware will even ship on time. I can tell you that the people I spoke to about this game are not random sources who’ve never provided information before. They’re the same sources who gave me details on Madden. Some of them are the same sources who provided information on the Lord of the Rings game I reported on. These aren’t one-off contacts, and they continue to insist that Half-Life 3 is coming in the spring,” said Straw.
Unlike Microsoft and Sony, Valve is unwilling to lose money on hardware sales and make up the difference through Steam and accessory sales. Due to rising RAM prices, Valve may be forced to increase the price of its hardware, which could hurt sales from the outset. It is understandable, then, that the company would prefer to wait and, if necessary, delay the launch slightly.
Source: WCCFTech
