Don't count on it, says Game Informer, which claims to have knowledge that the game won't arrive until 2011-at the earliest. With nary a peep about Episode Three in 2008 or 2009, many were hoping at least some new information about its release-or fate-would arrive this year. That compilation arrived in October 2007, and since then, Valve has remained mum on the subject of Episode Three, instead focusing on its wildly popular Left 4 Dead series.
However, that scheme was derailed when Valve struck a deal with Electronic Arts to distribute the Orange Box. It began in June 2006 with Episode One (initially subtitled 'Aftermath') and was to end 'by Christmas 2007' with Episode Three. Initially, Half-Life 2's episodes were supposed to allow the developer to release a new expansion every several months. The hunt for clues about Half-Life 2: Episode Three's fate goes on…
(The package also included Team Fortress 2 and the award-wining Portal.) The last title to feature the crowbar-wielding physicist was 2007's The Orange Box, which featured Half-Life 2: Episode Two and its two immediate forbearers: 2006's Half-Life 2: Episode One and 2004's Half-Life 2. What we heard: Last fall, Half-Life series hero Gordon Freeman was voted Greatest Game Hero by GameSpot's users, despite not having been in a new game in two years. Source: The Loose Talk rumor section of Game Informer's February issue.
