Half-Life 3 Speculations Spark Again as Risk of Rain Original Devs Join Valve's Game Dev Team

Key members of Hopoo Games, the creators of the acclaimed Risk of Rain series, including co-founders Duncan Drummond and Paul Morse, have joined Valve's game development team. This significant move has placed Hopoo Games' projects, including the unannounced "Snail," on indefinite hold.

Hopoo Games' Transition to Valve

Development Paused, "Snail" Project Suspended

Hopoo Games announced on Twitter (now X) that several developers, notably Drummond and Morse, are transitioning to Valve. While the nature of this move – temporary or permanent – remains unclear, both founders' LinkedIn profiles still list their Hopoo Games affiliations. The studio expressed gratitude for its decade-long partnership with Valve and excitement for contributing to future Valve titles. However, this transition necessitates halting work on their unannounced project, "Snail." The announcement concluded with the poignant phrase, "sleep tight, Hopoo Games."

Founded in 2012, Hopoo Games achieved prominence with the original Risk of Rain, a highly successful roguelike. The studio followed up with the equally well-received Risk of Rain 2 in 2019. In 2022, Hopoo Games sold the Risk of Rain IP to Gearbox Software, which continues to develop the franchise, recently releasing the Risk of Rain 2: Seekers of the Storm DLC. Despite some criticism of the DLC, Drummond expressed confidence in Gearbox's direction for the series.

Valve's "Deadlock" and the Persistent Half-Life 3 Speculation

While Valve and Hopoo haven't revealed the specifics of the collaboration, the timing coincides with Valve's ongoing early access title, the hero shooter Deadlock, and the ever-present rumors surrounding Half-Life 3. The recent, albeit quickly retracted, mention of a "Project White Sands" linked to Valve on a voice actor's portfolio further fueled speculation about a potential Half-Life 3 in development.

Eurogamer reported on fan theories connecting "White Sands" to Half-Life 3, citing the existence of a White Sands park in New Mexico near the Black Mesa Research Facility, a key location in the original Half-Life and its fan-made remake. The connection, however tenuous, has reignited the hopes of long-time fans.