"Risk of Rain Devs Join Valve, Sparking Half-Life 3 Rumors"

The gaming community is buzzing with excitement as Hopoo Games, the creative force behind the beloved Risk of Rain series, embarks on a new journey. Key members of the studio, including co-founders Duncan Drummond and Paul Morse, have joined Valve, the powerhouse behind iconic titles like Counter-Strike and Half-Life. This significant move has led to an indefinite hiatus for Hopoo Games and the temporary suspension of their upcoming project, "Snail."

Hopoo Games Joins Valve's Game Development Efforts

In a recent announcement on Twitter (X), Hopoo Games revealed that several of their developers, including Drummond and Morse, are transitioning to work with Valve. While the nature of their roles at Valve remains undisclosed, the move has sparked curiosity and speculation across the gaming world. Despite this shift, Hopoo Games remains operational, with Drummond and Morse still listed as co-founders on their LinkedIn profiles. The studio expressed gratitude towards Valve for their partnership over the past decade and shared their excitement about contributing to Valve's renowned titles. However, this transition means that development on "Snail" has been put on hold, with the studio bidding a temporary farewell with the message, "sleep tight, Hopoo Games."

Founded in 2012 by Drummond and Morse, Hopoo Games first gained acclaim with the release of Risk of Rain, a thrilling roguelike that challenges players to escape an alien planet. The success of the original game led to the launch of Risk of Rain 2 in 2019. In 2022, the studio sold the Risk of Rain IP to Gearbox, which has continued to expand the series, including the recent Risk of Rain 2: Seekers of the Storm DLC. Despite some criticism, Drummond remains optimistic about Gearbox's stewardship of the franchise, stating on Twitter (X) that "Gearbox is heading in the right direction."

Valve's Deadlock in Early Access While Rumors of Half-Life 3 Spark Up

While the specifics of what Hopoo Games will be working on at Valve are under wraps, Valve's current project, the MOBA hero shooter "Deadlock," is in its early access phase. Additionally, the gaming community is abuzz with rumors about the potential development of Half-Life 3. The speculation intensified following a recent update to a voice actor's portfolio, which briefly mentioned a mysterious "Project White Sands" linked to Valve. Although the project was quickly removed, it reignited fan theories about the long-awaited sequel to the Half-Life series.

As reported by Eurogamer, fans have connected "white sand" to Half-Life 3, noting that "White Sands is a park in New Mexico," which ties into the Black Mesa setting from the original Half-Life game. The Black Mesa Research Facility, located in New Mexico, is central to the Half-Life narrative and has been featured in the fan-made remake, Black Mesa. This connection has fueled further speculation about the potential development of Half-Life 3, with the gaming community eagerly awaiting any official announcements from Valve.