Half-Life 3 Tied to Steam Machine Launch, Targeting Spring 2026
Saturday, December 13, 2025Half-Life 3 Tied to Steam Machine Launch, Targeting Spring 2026
Valve's highly anticipated sequel may be bundled with new hardware, but RAM pricing issues could delay the announcement.
The Long-Awaited Return
Half-Life 3, one of gaming's most legendary vaporware titles, is reportedly real and targeting a Spring 2026 launch as a flagship title for Valve's new Steam Machine hardware. According to journalist Mike Straw from Insider Gaming, Valve is holding back the announcement due to ongoing RAM pricing issues affecting the PC industry, which impact the final pricing of the Steam Machine.
The Game Awards 2025 came and went without the expected Half-Life 3 reveal, disappointing fans who had been anticipating an announcement based on recent rumors. However, Straw's sources suggest the game is still in development and planned as a launch title for the new hardware.
RAM Pricing Crisis Delays Announcement
The primary obstacle appears to be volatile RAM pricing, which has skyrocketed by 200-500% since October 2025. This surge is reportedly driven by supply constraints as manufacturers prioritize AI infrastructure production over consumer memory.
"There is a concern, however, that they haven't made a decision on price, which is holding back the announcement of anything else. The reason is because of PC RAM prices. They're up 200%, 300%, 500% of what they were in October, and it's only getting worse," Straw explained on the Insider Gaming Weekly podcast.
Valve has confirmed it won't subsidize the Steam Machine like traditional consoles, meaning hardware costs directly impact pricing strategy. The company needs to lock in final specifications and pricing before announcing the bundle.
Steam Machine Specifications
The new Steam Machine is expected to feature impressive hardware for a compact form factor. Based on leaked reports, the specifications include:
- Semi-custom AMD Zen 4 CPU (6 cores/12 threads, up to 4.8 GHz)
- Semi-custom AMD RDNA3 GPU (28 Compute Units, 2.45 GHz sustained clock)
- 16GB DDR5 system RAM + 8GB GDDR6 VRAM
- 512GB or 2TB NVMe SSD storage
- SteamOS 3 (Arch-based) with KDE Plasma desktop environment
The system is designed to deliver performance comparable to or better than 70% of current gaming PC rigs while maintaining a small footprint (152mm × 162.4mm × 156mm) and weighing just 2.6 kg.
Competitive Timing Concerns
Valve faces timing pressure as Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled for November 19, 2026. The longer Valve waits to announce its Spring 2026 plans, the closer it gets to the year's biggest gaming launch window.
The company wants Half-Life 3 to own the first half of 2026, but cannot wait indefinitely to begin its marketing cycle. Every previous rumored announcement date has passed, according to Straw, who notes that multiple sources with proven track records are still adamant about the Spring 2026 window.
What to Expect
While details about Half-Life 3 itself remain scarce, datamined information from Source 2 engine updates suggests the game will leverage Valve's latest engine capabilities. The bundle strategy mirrors Valve's approach with previous hardware releases like the Steam Deck, which launched with optimized software experiences.
For now, fans must wait patiently as Valve navigates hardware pricing challenges. As Straw noted: "At the end of the day, the game is real. There's no denying it. It's just a when and not if at this point."