I was bummed out when Valve didn't make an appearance at E3 this year. Sure, there was still some chance of a surprise visit by Gabe Newell, but as it turned out, the "Half-Life" developer just didn't show up at all. Like many of you, I feel like I've been waiting on "Half-Life 3," or Episode 3, or whatever, for a ridiculous amount of time. Well, it looks like Valve is actually coming to GamesCom in Cologne, Germany this August, but I still doubt you're going to see anything about Gordon Freeman's next adventure.
According to a list of GamesCom exhibitors published at GoNintendo, the usual assortment of trade show developers and publishers will be on hand in Germany. Missing from that list is Activision, which is a bit surprising. It could just be an error in the list, but it's hard to imagine one of the largest publishing companies in the industry isn't making an appearance at the largest gaming trade show in the world.
Regardless, Valve is definitely presenting something at GamesCom, and my heart is of course all aflutter hoping it's the next "Half-Life." More likely, the company is probably showing off "Portal 2" downloadable-content, and possibly, a glimpse at their plans for "Defense of the Ancients 2." Last October, Valve revealed that they were working on an official sequel to the "Warcraft" mod, "Defense of the Ancients." Since then, we haven't seen a whole lot about the game, with the exception of some concept art. The mod's original creators have expressed some concerns with Valve taking over the reigns on the title.
"Portal 2" downloadable-content was announced back in April. The additional test chambers, leaderboards, and challenge mode are slated for a summer release. Perhaps the content will release in August, alongside GamesCom?
Maybe it's just me, but "Half-Life 3" is starting to feel like the new "Duke Nukem Forever." Will this game ever come out?