My intention was that Ep3 would simply tie up the plot threads that were particular to HL2. Laidlow said, “There was some rumor going around that Ep3 or H元 would end Gordon Freeman’s story, and I don’t think that was accurate. Those who expected that the next Half-Life title would at least provide an ending to Gordon Freeman’s story would be disappointed too. I will say that I expected every installment would end without resolution, forever and ever…” I honestly don’t know if anyone else shared this goal, but it seemed important to me to give ultimate freedom to whoever inherited the series, with my own personal set of loose ends tied up to my satisfaction. Unfortunately, I was not able to do that. But I never thought as far ahead as H元, unless you were to say that H元 and Episode 3 were the same thing. I had hoped for a reset between HL2 and H元 that was as dramatic as the shift between HL1 and HL2.

He continues, “I had ideas for Episode 3. They were all supposed to take the series to a point where I could step away from it and leave it to the next generation. Speaking to Arcade Attack, when asked whether Half-Life 3 would be released, Laidlow said, “No idea.” He also confirmed that he wouldn’t be returning to Valve even if the game returned to active development.

Half life 3 ending