How do you want HL3 to be announced?

[The Pinray]

I think at this point it shouldn't. After all this waiting and hype, Valve have really backed themselves into the wall. There is no way that it will be as good as fans want it to be.

They'll have to pull off no less than a miracle.

Anyway, more on topic I think it'd be funny if it isn't announced and comes out under everyone's radar. Doesn't make steams front page, no media around it. Just comes out, sitting somewhere deep within the hidden reaches of steam.

 

[Ldude893]

I want it to be added to everyone's Steam account at once. No fuss, no announcements, it's just there.

Watch everyone lose their shit.

I can imagine the internet exploding if Valve ever gets the guts to even put up a demo like that.

My personal prediction is that they'll first put up a very subtle hint of a lengthy alternate reality game, maybe a small flashing dot on the Steam site or on Valve's webpage. It'll then evolve into something huge, like each of the universes of Valve's games referencing a common event that turns out to be a crucial plot point in Half Life 2 Episode 3.
Near the end of the ARG, a random set of numbers are posted on the blogs of each game that Valve owns, and fans would be able to craft them together to form a date, time and a set of map coordinates. The event taking place at that location would be disguised as something else entirely, say some random video presentation inside a convention center for some in-game organization. At some point during this event, some piece of (fake) machinery from the roof breaks off and appears to be on the brink of falling, which also disables the lights. The conference is delayed as some attendants go up to take it down, and the audience is left to wait for several minutes.

And then out of the amps comes G Man voice:
"Your patience is most rewarding, Mr. Freeman."

Crowd goes nuts, video comes up, and Bob's your uncle.

 

[Loop Stricken]

I want it to be added to everyone's Steam account at once. No fuss, no announcements, it's just there.

Watch everyone lose their shit.

I can imagine the internet exploding if Valve's got the guts to even put up a demo like that.

No no, not even the demo. The full game.
Just appearing.

I haven't even played the previous ones but even I would be floored by that.

 

[EHKOS]

It should just appear on shelves one day.

 

[Hattingston]

It would be hilarious for them to release it on Steam with no announcement, without having it appear in new releases, the ads at the top, or the top selling lists. Make the only way to find it to be searching for "Half Life 3" in the searchbar.

 

[vivalahelvig]

Secretly, under the radar, so nobody notices.

It would be hilarious.

I imagine it that you go to gamestop and see a pile of hl3's in the bargain bin. You'd say "Whoa, holy shit, half-life 3?! Clerk, when did this come out!?"

It wouldnt even show up on steam, you'd have to search for it.

 

[shrekfan246]

First, there'll be a rumor online about Valves' secret "Lambda office". No one really knows what goes on in there.

One day all the employees in the office mysteriously vanish. Gabe Newell offers no comment. Marc Laidlaw drops a hint that a certain "threat must be contained".

The FBI takes a look at Valves' investment records and finds evidence of extensive real-world portal testing. Gabe Newell is detained, saying only "I wanted to create the most immersive experience possible for Half Life 3".

Two days later, our new alien overlords arrive.

I lol'd so hard...

/thread right here, in my opinion. I don't think I can top that.

 

[HigherTomorrow]

They should just like

Raze the words, "Half-Life 3 is coming"

Into like a field of corn

And just hope someone comes across it on Google Maps or something

 

[VladG]

I know I know I doubt Half-Life 3 really exists either, but at this point this game has so much anticipation how would you want Valve to handle the announcement if it were to come out?

I would want Valve to hold a surprise press conference during E3. People show up to a dark auditorium, where the only thing there is a big screen with a crowbar on it. 10 min. later a big 3 fades in beside the crow-bar. That's it, no sound, no release date, just a crow-bar and a 3. I did wont to incorporate Gabe riding in on a white horse across the stage, but that seemed to ruin the mood.

Not to mention the horse.

I personally don't care how they announce it, they can make Lambda 3 pies and throw them at people for all I care, I just want to play HL3/ EP3

But I do agree with the general public on this one, a cool thing to do is just launch it. Have it pop up on steam one day. BAM!

 

[lord Claincy Ffnord]

Honestly I don't care. Anyway they chose to announce it would perfectly fine by me if they actually announced it. Ignoring that if they randomly added it to a few peoples steam accounts, then a few more etc. It would be highly amusing in a sort of sad way admittedly, but still highly amusing as people didn't believe what the others were telling them.

 

[Yopaz]

I would love to see it released without any announcement at all. Just let it sneak up on us without a warning.

 

[Skoldpadda]

They actually asked me to announce it. So I'm announcing it. It's coming out in Octobre.

 

[Ruedyn]

Gabe Newell, Jonathan Coultan, Chuck Norris, and the zombie of Abraham Lincoln run into E3 dressed as various dinosaurs in posh business suits punching people in the face till the get to the center of the building, then they start shooting (non-lethal) lasers out of their eyes while Jesus Christ descends from the heavens whilst Glados is singing a Globus song (preferably Take me Away) to start chucking the game discs at passers-by. Meanwhile the PC version is up and running, and has been for a week.

LET THIS FUCKING HAPPEN

 

[Wing Dairu]

Yet one more vote for secretly, or at least subtly. They don't need to make a big production out of the release, we're already going to do that ourselves. All they need to do is light the fuse and cover their ears as the gaming press explodes.
Best way to announce it? Gaben comes onstage at E3, looking like he's not supposed to be there and snuck on. He comes to the center, says, "I'll just leave this here," and places a red crowbar on a table. He walks off and that's it.

 

[wintercoat]

If Valve actually shows up this year, I want the HL3 announcement, if there even is one, to come at the last possible second. Just as Gabe's walking out the door, he turns around and says "oh yeah, and Half Life 3 will be released [insert release date here]" and just walks out, leaving the gaming press in an uproar. I want Gabe to have his escape route planned out so that he can't be accosted by anyone on the way to his car. I want the fans writhing!

 

[bafrali]

With a trailer featuring scantily-clad nun assassins trying to kill Agent Freeman.

On a serious note i too prefer the secrecy policy.What is Half Life if not discreet?

 

[217not237]

Here's how it must be announced: The post-credits scene of Valve's next game shows Gordon Freeman and a "Coming Soon"

 

[Wing Dairu]

Here's how it must be announced: The post-credits scene of Valve's next game shows Gordon Freeman and a "Coming Soon"

But Counter-Strike is pure multiplayer...I don't think Global Offensive is going to HAVE a credits screen.