Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Valve has been making and releasing games at least every 2 years. Just because they have not been doing much with Half-Life doesn't mean they're being lazy.Valve discovered Steam... that is, you can be lazy and make tons of money. In terms of ethics, Valve should have sold the franchise to a non-lazy company. But, it's theirs to do with as they see fit.
1998 Half-Life
2004 Half-Life 2
2006 Half-Life 2: Episode 1
2007 Half-Life 2: Episode 2, Portal, Team Fortress 2 (The Orange Box)
2009 Left 4 Dead 2
2011 Portal 2
2013 Dota 2
2016 The Lab
2018 Artifact
2020 Half-Life: Alyx
Maybe I just didn't go full VR.... didn't know Alyx was awesome.I'd rather have no EP3/HL3, than something like the ending of Lost or Game of Thrones.
The fact Alyx was so well received is a good sign though, at least to combat those who argue "it'd a dead franchise, they missed their chance, sell it, etc..."
Card collecting and niche platform demo games don't really count as AAA. I wouldn't even count Portal 2 as an AAA game, it hasa very distinct budget / indie feeling to it. So basically the last proper big title Valve made was Half Life 2.Valve has been making and releasing games at least every 2 years. Just because they have not been doing much with Half-Life doesn't mean they're being lazy.
Code:1998 Half-Life 2004 Half-Life 2 2006 Half-Life 2: Episode 1 2007 Half-Life 2: Episode 2, Portal, Team Fortress 2 (The Orange Box) 2009 Left 4 Dead 2 2011 Portal 2 2013 Dota 2 2016 The Lab 2018 Artifact 2020 Half-Life: Alyx
When was AAA ever brought up? The person I responded to said Valve was "lazy" when they clearly are not. As a matter of record, Artifact was in development for nearly 5 years.Card collecting and niche platform demo games don't really count as AAA. I wouldn't even count Portal 2 as an AAA game, it hasa very distinct budget / indie feeling to it. So basically the last proper big title Valve made was Half Life 2.
Maybe lazy should have been "stupid". Why not make oodles of money? Go figure.When was AAA ever brought up? The person I responded to said Valve was "lazy" when they clearly are not. As a matter of record, Artifact was in development for nearly 5 years.
Steam and CS:GO both make Valve oodles of money and give them the freedom to take chances. Unfortunately a lot of them have missed. I'm sure if they went back to do a by-the-numbers FPS that didn't require VR it would sell like hot cakes, but Valve seems to want to strike gold with something other than Half-Life. Gabe was quoted as saying that he wanted Artifact to do for trading card games what Half-Life did for FPS. Ironically, Artifact turned out to be an iconic failure.Maybe lazy should have been "stupid". Why not make oodles of money? Go figure.
I don’t think it’s obvious at all.HL3 is obviously coming one day. I'd be surprised if this was it. It's hard to care anymore because I don't think their Half Life content has been very good since HL2. Seems Valve is less concerned about telling a good story and more concerned about putting minorities on a pedestal (which I know to many of you means it's a super deep, rich story LOL).
With all the AAA titles having their own launchers these days that’s essentially what I’ve done. About the only time I buy something from Steam is Black Friday sales.when Steam starts to lose $$ then expect HL3...so everyone should be rooting for the Epic launcher, Uplay etc
Don't be afraid to admit it. Valve found the cake, and they are full. They are lazy. Even Gaben pretty much said that they'd do another Half Life if they felt motivated and inspired enough, but they just don't feel like doing it.
Tiddling around with a freaking card collecting game for 5 years very much qualifies as lazy. They are lazy because they don't have to work on games, because steam sustains them.When was AAA ever brought up? The person I responded to said Valve was "lazy" when they clearly are not. As a matter of record, Artifact was in development for nearly 5 years.
Not lazy, then you go on to describe exactly what lazy is. Valve adopted this "model" because they are comfortable off of steam. Otherwise it would be completely unsustainable. Steam's success made valve lazy, there is no other way to describe it. If valve wasn't so lazy they'd have snapped the whip long ago. They have the financial stability to do great things, and had the talent too, but they did not take advantage of it. As such valve has lost all my respect.It has nothing to do with being “lazy”. It’s all due to how Valve operates. If not enough people at the company are interested in doing a project, it doesn’t get done. There are no defined teams within Valve nor anyone that assigns people to specific projects. The people that were working on Ep3/HL3 originally are either no longer with Valve or they decided other projects interested them more. Valve’s development system is not like any other big studio.
LazyIt has nothing to do with being “lazy”. It’s all due to how Valve operates. If not enough people at the company are interested in doing a project, it doesn’t get done. There are no defined teams within Valve nor anyone that assigns people to specific projects. The people that were working on Ep3/HL3 originally are either no longer with Valve or they decided other projects interested them more. Valve’s development system is not like any other big studio.
Not lazy, then you go on to describe exactly what lazy is. Valve adopted this "model" because they are comfortable off of steam. Otherwise it would be completely unsustainable. Steam's success made valve lazy, there is no other way to describe it. If valve wasn't so lazy they'd have snapped the whip long ago. They have the financial stability to do great things, and had the talent too, but they did not take advantage of it. As such valve has lost all my respect.
Maybe I just didn't go full VR.... didn't know Alyx was awesome.
I agree that expectations are too high but they created a great lead in that opens a lot of potential and then with Portal 2 created an amazing tie in that would make for a lot of fun coop options or play as one side then the other etc.With the expectations for Half-Life 3 you'd have to be insane to want to head up that project. People think that HL2 is much better than it actually is due to nostalgia; there's no way for HL3 to live up to the hype they've built up around it.
Valve has operated that way since before anyone even thought of Steam. One of the reasons Valve’s founders left Microsoft was due to not liking the corporate structure. Valve was set up to avoid that. Employees not wanting to make one game does not make them “lazy”.
I guess I could see that but I'd rather play any of the Thief series, Crysis, FarCry, Doom, Prdoeus, etc. over HL2 at this point. I don't think HL3 could even count as an also-ran at this point.I agree that expectations are too high but they created a great lead in that opens a lot of potential and then with Portal 2 created an amazing tie in that would make for a lot of fun coop options or play as one side then the other etc.
I love HL2. Never thought it was perfect but the environments and more seamless play between areas was really solid back then. With new options and possibilities I think they could bring it to a nice end and then get side tracked in various other fun things like Alyx.
HL1 is hard to play because its so old now and "basic" but also fun but if I want the experience again I think I would rather go through Black Mesa lol.
I don't dislike any of those (unless you are talking about any of the FarCry's after the first one ). Some hold up better than others. And others fit more within what you like to play. HL3 would sell very well, and likely not live up to the hype. But while they say lack of idea's they left so much open to make things interesting and fun it seems really shocking that they cannot think of a way to finish it off at this point. ShrugI guess I could see that but I'd rather play any of the Thief series, Crysis, FarCry, Doom, Prdoeus, etc. over HL2 at this point. I don't think HL3 could even count as an also-ran at this point.