Every few months, something new pops up to fuel hopes for a new Half-Life game, and this week it came from an unlikely place: an audio panel. Valve composer Mike Morasky appeared to mention HLX, the codename widely believed to belong to an unannounced Half-Life project, while speaking at GameSoundCon earlier this week.
As with anything tied to HLX, this should be treated as a rumor. Valve has not announced a new Half-Life game, and a passing mention in a technical talk is far from an official confirmation.
What Mike Morasky Said
Morasky was part of a panel titled "Valve's Approach to an Open and Flexible Audio Engine" at the conference in Burbank, alongside Valve audio veteran David Feise, who has been at the company for 17 years, and Carlye Nyte, who previously worked at Bungie. The session was recorded and shared online.
While explaining how different Valve teams adapt the shared audio tools to their own needs, Morasky 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."
Feise then moved the conversation along, saying "Groups is its own one-hour talk, so come talk to us about that afterwards." The moment that really got fans talking came at the end of the panel, when Feise told Morasky "Good job. You only said 'HLX' once," to which Morasky replied "I did?"
Whether that exchange was a joke or a genuine slip, it is the kind of thing Half-Life fans have learned to pick apart frame by frame.
What Is HLX?
HLX first surfaced through dataminers digging into Valve's files in the years after Half-Life: Alyx launched in 2020. The codename has been linked to a new Half-Life game, and many believe it would be a traditional non-VR entry, which would make it the first flat-screen Half-Life since Half-Life 2: Episode Two in 2007.
Valve insider and YouTuber Tyler McVicker claimed in 2025 that HLX was playable from beginning to end, which only added to the expectation that an announcement could be on the horizon. None of that has been confirmed by Valve, which famously does not talk about its projects until they are ready.
Morasky Has Slipped Before
Morasky has caught attention for a possible slip once before. In a 2023 interview, he referred to "both the Half-Life games" he worked on before quickly correcting himself, which fans took as a hint at another project in addition to Half-Life: Alyx.
Morasky has been one of Valve's key musical voices for years. His credits include Team Fortress 2, Left 4 Dead, Portal 2, Half-Life: Alyx and Counter-Strike 2, and before joining Valve he worked on visual effects for The Lord of the Rings films. If a new Half-Life is in development, there is a good chance he would be involved in some way.
Keep Expectations In Check
Mentioning a codename in a talk about audio tools tells fans very little about release timing, platforms or what the game actually is. Valve projects have been cancelled before, and the company has a long history of experimenting internally with games that never see the light of day.
It is also worth remembering how Valve tends to operate. Half-Life: Alyx was announced just a few months before it launched, so if HLX is real and nearing completion, fans may not get much warning before a reveal. The company has also been busy with Deadlock, the hero shooter Morasky mentioned in the same breath, so there is no telling where HLX sits on its list of priorities.
Still, after years of datamined hints and insider claims, hearing HLX said out loud by a Valve employee is enough to get the community excited again. Until Valve makes an announcement, all fans can do is keep watching.
Do you think Valve is finally getting ready to reveal a new Half-Life, or is this another false alarm?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.