A Valve composer appears to have publicly mentioned “HLX”, the unofficial codename long associated with the company’s unannounced next Half-Life project. Fans widely believe that project is Half-Life 3.
The remark came during a developer panel focused on audio technology in Valve’s Source 2 engine. Sound designers David Feise and Carlye Nyte joined composer Mike Morasky for the discussion, which was a panel about how sound and music work in Source 2.
While answering a question about Source 2’s flexible audio system and how it interacts with other engine features, Morasky referred to different implementations used by Valve projects. He said:
“And in fact, I think Deadlock has their own version of HDR. You know, HLX has its own version, so on and so forth.”
The brief mention is notable because HLX is not the name of any officially announced Valve game. The term has instead emerged through more than five years of datamining, leaks and community research into what is believed to be the next mainline Half-Life release.
Longtime Valve reporter Tyler McVicker spotted the comment, which was made on October 21. A Reddit post also captured the moment, with a recording of Morasky directly mentioning HLX during the Q&A.
Immediately after the line, Feise can apparently be heard responding with “Nice work”, suggesting that Morasky may have said more than intended. It would not be the first time the composer has fuelled speculation: he has previously hinted at work on more than one Half-Life game, despite being officially credited with Half-Life: Alyx in 2020.
Why HLX matters to Half-Life fans
Valve has never officially announced HLX, teased it or confirmed that the codename refers to Half-Life 3. The project’s identity has largely been pieced together by fans tracking updates to Valve software and organising the available clues, including a detailed board cataloguing what is known about the game.
That makes an offhand reference from a Valve employee particularly striking. HLX is familiar terminology within the community, but it remains an internal codename rather than a public product name. Morasky may simply have forgotten that distinction while discussing a project that has reportedly been in development for years.
There are several possible explanations. Valve could ignore the comment, or Morasky could later clarify that he meant Half-Life: Alyx. Neither possibility confirms the existence of Half-Life 3, although the wording has naturally intensified speculation among players who follow Valve’s development history.
Could Half-Life 3 be close?
In 2025, McVicker reported that HLX was playable from beginning to end. That claim remains unconfirmed by Valve, but it suggests the project could be considerably further along than its lack of an announcement implies.
The next major opportunity for news would be The Game Awards in December. Valve previously withdrew a Half-Life: Alyx trailer from the event, so speculation continues over whether the company might eventually return to the show with a new reveal. Until Valve speaks publicly, however, HLX remains an intriguing codename rather than confirmed proof of Half-Life 3.
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