Half-Life 3 Confirmed! …or not

“Steam OS” can be abbreviated “SOS,” which has three letters in it. Three letters…Half-Life 3 confirmed!

Half-Life 3 rumors have become so rampant on the Internet, that they now make up their own meme. So when we get any kind of official news that Half-Life 3 may be getting made, it should always be viewed through a lens of skepticism.

Earlier this week, Valve registered “Half-Life 3” as a trademark with the Trademarks and Design Registration Office of the European Union. This, of course, threw the entire Internet into a state of excited hyperventilation as all the Half-Life players danced in the streets.

Unfortunately, this is shaping up to look like an elaborate hoax.

The trademark has since been removed from the registration site after only about a week. This very strongly indicates that it was just placed there by someone who wanted to stir up a little hype about the game. What’s more, the original listing for the trademark had never been officially authenticated or checked.

Valve has had “Half-Life 3” trademarked in the US for years already, and the www.half-life3.com address has been renewed diligently. So, while this turn of events looks like a hoax, we shouldn’t give up on Half-Life 3 getting made just yet.