To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Half-Life 2, Valve has released a documentary showcasing content related to the unreleased Half-Life 2: Episode 3. The documentary includes interviews with original developers, concept art, and gameplay footage. Alongside this, a significant update for Half-Life 2 brings Episodes 1 and 2 into the base game free of charge until November 18, 2024, and adds a developer commentary mode. The game's influence on modern gaming remains profound, despite its long-awaited sequel never materializing for various creative reasons.

What new content has Valve added to Half-Life 2 for the anniversary?

The new content includes the integration of Episode 1 and 2 into the base game, a developer commentary mode, and numerous bug fixes. Players can also download and play Half-Life 2 for free until November 18, 2024.

Half-Life 2 is widely regarded as one of the greatest video games of all time, offering groundbreaking narrative and gameplay mechanics that set the standard for first-person shooters. Its sequel was highly anticipated, with Episode 3 intended to continue the story, but it has remained unreleased due to various development challenges at Valve. In 2020, Valve did return to the Half-Life universe with Half-Life: Alyx, a VR-exclusive game that demonstrated innovative gameplay and storytelling elements.