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

The acclaimed Risk of Rain series developers, Hopoo Games, have made a significant move. Key team members, including co-founders Duncan Drummond and Paul Morse, have joined Valve, sparking renewed speculation about future projects.

Hopoo Games' Transition to Valve

Projects Paused, "Snail" on Hold

Hopoo Games announced via Twitter (now X) that several developers, including its co-founders, are transitioning to Valve. This shift has resulted in a temporary halt to Hopoo Games' current projects, notably the unannounced title "Snail." While the move's permanence remains unclear, both Drummond and Morse's LinkedIn profiles still list their Hopoo Games affiliations. The studio expressed gratitude for its decade-long partnership with Valve and excitement for contributing to their upcoming titles.

Established in 2012 by Drummond and Morse, Hopoo Games achieved recognition with the original Risk of Rain, a successful roguelike. Its 2019 sequel, Risk of Rain 2, further solidified their reputation. Following the 2022 sale of the Risk of Rain IP to Gearbox, Hopoo Games expressed confidence in Gearbox's continued development of the franchise, including the recent Risk of Rain 2: Seekers of the Storm DLC.

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

While Valve and Hopoo remain tight-lipped about the team's new assignments, the news has fueled speculation about a potential contribution to the long-awaited Half-Life 3. Valve's current focus, the MOBA hero shooter "Deadlock," is still in early access. However, recent events have reignited the Half-Life 3 rumors.

A voice actor's portfolio briefly mentioned a Valve project codenamed "Project White Sands," which was later removed. This sparked fan theories connecting "White Sands" to Half-Life 3, citing potential links to Black Mesa, a fan-made Half-Life remake set in New Mexico. The speculation continues to swirl within the gaming community.