Half-Life: Alyx Archives

AppWizard

January 12, 2026

Steam Reveals Most Played PC VR Games of 2025

Steam's list of the most played PC VR games for 2025 features only one new title, "VR Secretary: Ailey Edition," which is an early access dating sim and has received a silver rating. The top-ranked games include: Platinum: - No Man’s Sky (2016) - Beat Saber (2019) - Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades (2016) - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR (2018) - Phasmophobia (2020) - Gorilla Tag (2023) - Blade & Sorcery (2024) - Ark: Survival Evolved (2017) - Vtol VR (2017) - VRChat (2017) - Half-Life: Alyx (2020) - Assetto Corsa (2014) Gold: - BONELAB (2022) - The Forest (2018) - Hard Bullet (2020) - Superhot VR (2017) - War Thunder (2013) - Pavlov (2024) - BONEWORKS (2019) - Google Earth VR (2016) - Euro Truck Simulator (2012) - Blood Trail (2019) - Rec Room (2021) - Half-Life 2: VR Mod (2022) Silver: - Automobilista 2 (2020) - DCS (2013) - Assetto Corsa Competizione (2019) - Arizona Sunshine II (2023) - Ghosts of Tabor (2023) - Bigscreen (2016) - The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners (2020) - The Lab (2016) - Contractors Showdown: ExfilZone (2024) - Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted (2019) - Subnautica (2018) - Metro Awakening (2024) - Into the Radius 2 (2024) - Fallout 4 VR (2017) - Tactical Assault VR (2023) - Elite Dangerous (2015) - Into the Radius (2020) - Propagation VR (2020) - Job Simulator (2016) - VR Secretary: Ailey Edition (2025) - DiRT Rally 2.0 (2019) - Hitman World of Assassination (2022) - VTOL VR Mod Loader (2024) - Contractors (2018) - Arizona Sunshine Remake (2024) - BeamNG.drive (2015) The report indicates a trend of established games maintaining popularity, with a growing community of PC VR users and an increase in monthly connected headsets on Steam. The anticipated Steam Frame may influence future PC VR game adoption.

AppWizard

November 20, 2025

Forget Steam Frame, you can get up to $70 off the Meta Quest 3S in this early Black Friday sale

The Meta Quest 3 is highlighted for its affordability, solid hardware, and a rich library of exclusive games. The Meta Quest 3S, a budget-friendly alternative, is currently available at a discount as part of early Black Friday promotions. It features a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor, 8GB of RAM, and improved weight distribution. The Meta Quest 3S is rated 7/10 and is recommended for first-time buyers or those upgrading from the Quest 2. It supports standalone and PCVR gaming, allowing access to titles like Batman: Arkham Shadow and Deadpool VR, as well as streaming PCVR games. The 128GB model is priced at 9.99 on Amazon, bundled with a Gorilla Tag skin and a three-month trial of the Horizon+ service, while the 256GB version is available for 9.99, including the same trial and a copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow. The discount is part of an early Black Friday sale, suggesting availability until December 1, 2025.

AppWizard

November 19, 2025

Half-Life fans are in a frenzy over the prospect of a Half-Life 3 announcement that there’s (almost) no good reason to believe is happening

Half-Life 3 speculation has increased, driven by coincidences such as the anniversary of previous Half-Life releases and a recent post by Geoff Keighley. Gabe Newell hinted at future developments in the series, and the conclusion of Half-Life: Alyx suggests a new installment could be forthcoming. Valve is set to launch new hardware next year, which has intensified speculation about bundling a new game with these products. The community's opinions on the likelihood of an announcement vary widely, with a recent survey showing a mix of skepticism and optimism.

AppWizard

November 18, 2025

OK, for real though, what’s the chance of a Half-Life 3 announcement happening soon? Here’s what we know

The gaming community has been speculating about Half-Life 3 for two decades, with no formal announcement yet made. However, there is renewed optimism for a new Half-Life game announcement within the next year due to several factors: the release of the VR-exclusive Half-Life: Alyx in 2020, which sets the stage for future installments; the five-year gap since the last major release; Valve's recent hardware announcements; and hints during the 20th anniversary of Half-Life 2. Gabe Newell has indicated that Valve is hesitant to continue the series without significant innovation. The potential for a new Half-Life may involve VR, but this could alienate non-VR fans. Other possibilities include a new Portal game or a spinoff set in the Half-Life universe, with the Borealis ship remaining unexplored in the lore. Newell's recent interests in deep-sea exploration and neuroscience may suggest unexpected developments for the franchise.

AppWizard

November 17, 2025

21 Years Ago Today, One of the Best Games Ever Came to PC

Half-Life 2 was released on November 16, 2004, as a sequel to the original Half-Life from 1998, developed by Valve using the Source engine. The game introduced a broader narrative and memorable characters, including Gordon Freeman, Alyx Vance, and Father Grigori, while featuring a sophisticated physics engine and the Gravity Gun. It received widespread acclaim, achieving a perfect score from Edge magazine and selling over 12 million copies within seven years across multiple platforms. Half-Life 2 was instrumental in establishing Steam as a dominant digital distribution platform and set new standards for storytelling in action games. Despite its success, there has been no formal sequel, although episodic content and a prequel, Half-Life: Alyx, have been released.

BetaBeacon

November 13, 2025

The Steam Frame is a surprising new twist on VR

Valve is set to release the Steam Frame, a standalone VR headset that can play flat-screen Windows games directly from the device or stream games wirelessly from a gaming PC. The headset offers a seamless gaming experience with innovative foveated streaming technology and comfortable design. The Steam Frame aims to revolutionize the VR industry with its focus on wireless gameplay and competitive price point.

Winsage

September 4, 2025

SteamVR Beta Restores Windows VR Headset Support on Windows 11 Thanks to Third-party Driver

The SteamVR Beta has introduced an automatic installation of the third-party 'Oasis' driver for Windows Mixed Reality (WMR) headsets, responding to Microsoft's discontinuation of support for these devices in Windows 11. This update allows WMR users to regain compatibility with SteamVR without the Mixed Reality Portal application, although the Oasis driver currently only supports NVIDIA GPUs. Valve has integrated this driver into SteamVR Beta (v2.13.1) to assist WMR users on unsupported Windows 11 versions. Additionally, Valve aims to enhance user experience by ensuring compatibility across various VR devices, including making Half-Life: Alyx compatible with all SteamVR-supported headsets.

AppWizard

February 23, 2025

The Best VR Headsets for PC Gaming

In virtual reality, high-quality VR headsets paired with robust gaming PCs enhance the immersive experience, with most top-tier VR games benefiting from superior PC graphics and performance. The best VR headsets for PC include: 1. Valve Index: - Resolution: 1440x1600 per eye - Refresh Rate: 120Hz (144Hz experimental) - Field of View: 130° - Tracking: 6DoF - Weight: 1.79 lbs 2. Meta Quest 3S: - Resolution: 1832x1920 per eye - Refresh Rate: 120Hz - Field of View: 90° - Tracking: 6DoF - Weight: 1.13 lbs 3. HTC Vive Pro 2: - Resolution: 2448x2448 per eye - Refresh Rate: 120Hz - Field of View: 120° - Tracking: 6DoF - Weight: 1.9 lbs 4. HTC Vive XR Elite: - Resolution: 1920x1920 per eye - Refresh Rate: 90Hz - Field of View: 110° - Tracking: 6DoF - Weight: 1.38 lbs 5. PlayStation VR2: - Resolution: 2000x2040 per eye - Refresh Rate: 120Hz - Field of View: 110° - Tracking: 6DoF - Weight: 1.24 lbs Choosing the best VR headset involves evaluating technical specifications, comfort, and fit. A powerful PC is recommended for optimal VR performance, especially for demanding titles. Standalone headsets like the Meta Quest 3S and Pico 4 do not require a PC, while the PlayStation VR2 can connect to a PC with an adapter. VR headsets often go on sale during major shopping events like Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday/Cyber Monday.

AppWizard

November 28, 2024

Steam Autumn Sale 2024: The best deals we’ve spotted

Valve has launched the Steam Autumn Sale for 2024, featuring discounts on thousands of game titles. Notable deals include Dragon’s Dogma 2 for AUD 7.53, Metaphor ReFantazio for AUD 4.21, and early access to Hades 2 for AUD 7.55. Discounts are available on classic games such as Silent Hill 2, Ghost of Tsushima, and the Resident Evil franchise. Some highlighted deals include: - Against the Storm – AUD 9.97 (-50%) - Assassin’s Creed Mirage – AUD 19.98 (-60%) - Crusader Kings 3 – AUD 8.98 (-70%) - Darkest Dungeon – AUD 7.92 (-92%) - Diablo 4 – AUD 29.97 (-40%) - Divinity: Original Sin 2 – AUD 14.48 (-70%) - Monster Hunter Rise – AUD 24.24 (-75%) - Resident Evil 4 – AUD 29.97 (-50%) - Star Wars Jedi Survivor – AUD 24.98 (-75%) - Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands – AUD 9.99 (-80%) Prices are listed in Australian Dollars (AUD).

AppWizard

November 16, 2024

Gabe Newell ponders the future in new Half-Life 2 documentary: ‘I think that Half-Life represents a tool we have and promises made to customers’

Valve has celebrated the 20th anniversary of Half-Life 2 by reuniting the original development team, who recorded in-game commentary available for free on Steam. They also released a two-hour documentary on YouTube detailing the game's development. The documentary does not confirm any upcoming titles like Half-Life 3 or Half-Life: Alyx 2, but Valve engineer Brian Jacobson and co-founder Gabe Newell suggest that the future of the franchise may depend on advancements in gaming technology.