Single Player Extrvaganza

Let’s talk about something that is sure to get every gamers blood boiling.

Episode 3.

For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, go ahead and take your leave, why are you even on this blog? This is a blog about GAMES and occasionally the INTERNET. And memes, I suppose. Everything on this blog is a joke anyway. Even the web address. Go download The Orange Box for $20 off of Steam, you’ll thank me later.

In any case, I bring this up for one reason, my brother’s insistent nagging that Valve NEEDS to release Half Life 2: Episode 3. It is their DUTY as a video game publisher to release their flagship game a new update. This got me to thinking. Half-Life was originally released in 1998 for the PC. In 2006, 8 years later, we got Half-Life 2. Over the course of a year, we got the two episodes (with Episode 2 being released on October 10^th, 2007) Here we are, 5 years later, and still not even a hint at Episode 3. Here’s my idea.

There is no Episode 3.

But, instead, there is a Half-Life 3. Think about it. Valve works on Valve time, but that does not mean that it takes them 5 years to make an episode. It took them 7 or so months to do it beforehand. I can only conclude that given the amount of time elapsed, that this can really be the only reasonable solution. But, given this, I also think it will probably take about 8 years, maybe longer, to finish HL3. Valve won’t even talk about it if it isn’t up to Gabe’s insanely high standards, and that’s what gave us Half-Life in the first place.

I have no problem with waiting for Half-Life 3 mostly because it’s one of the few game series that are single player that I will play. I like the challenge that Half-Life gives, but I know why it gives the challenge—quality control. Does this mean that I don’t hope that Half-Life comes out in a blaze of glory at E3 this year? Of course not. But, it won’t happen. Sorry guys, I think it’s possible we may hear Valve tease us this year with a smidge of the goatee that Freeman eludes us with, but it isn’t coming for another couple of years. Hang in there kiddos, we’re all hoping for the same thing.

--Santa