The persistent rumor mill surrounding a new Half-Life game, often referred to by the codename "HLX," has been given fresh fuel. Valve composer and audio artist Mike Morasky inadvertently mentioned "HLX" during a GameSoundCon panel discussing the company's audio engine technology. This comment, followed by a seemingly flustered reaction from a co-panelist, has once again ignited fervent speculation among fans.
The term "HLX" first surfaced in early 2024 via data strings found within a Counter-Strike 2 update, drawing parallels to the codename "HLVR" for Half-Life: Alyx. At the time, the discovery suggested the possibility of new Half-Life related projects, though no official confirmation or subsequent game release materialized.
During the GameSoundCon panel, Morasky was discussing the technical aspects of managing sound effects and optimizing audio through Valve's High Dynamic Range (HDR) system. When elaborating on how different projects handle these systems, he stated, "Deadlock has their own version of HDR. HLX has its own version, and so on and so forth." This remark was immediately met with a whispered, "nice work," or "nice one," from co-panelist David Feise, implying that Morasky had divulged information he perhaps shouldn't have. Feise quickly steered the conversation back to his prepared topic, stating that the subject of "Groups" was a separate, hour-long discussion.
Adding to the intrigue, Feise later remarked to Morasky, "Good job, you only said HLX once," indicating that this was not the first time the audio engineer had nearly revealed the codename. Reports from 2025 suggest Morasky previously came close to saying "HLX" during a different event, catching himself and pivoting to "Alyx" instead.
While "HLX" has appeared in multiple contexts, its exact nature remains a mystery. It could refer to a direct successor like Half-Life 3, a different Half-Life title, or perhaps internal technology unrelated to a specific game. Valve has a history of employing playful misdirection, and it is possible this recurring mention is part of a deliberate, albeit subtle, tease.
Independent of these recent events, PC Gamer editor Tyler Wilde noted in 2025 that he believed Valve was working on a new Half-Life game, even if not necessarily Half-Life 3, and that an announcement within the following year was not unreasonable. A year has now passed since that prediction, leaving fans to wonder if "HLX" represents that anticipated title.
The full panel, "Valve's Approach to an Open and Flexible Audio Engine," is available to watch on Vimeo.