Image: Valve
Valve has released a 25th Anniversary update for Half-Life with four brand-new maps and additional content.
Half-Life is 25 years old, and Valve is celebrating the occasion by making it entirely free-to-keep on Steam for a limited time. The developer’s first game ever is also getting a big update containing new multiplayer maps, a restored mini-campaign and a host of bug fixes and quality-of-life changes. This isn’t a massive overhaul by any means, but it's still quite an unexpected update for a nearly three-decade-old videogame.
Valve has also partnered with videogame documentary maker NoClip for a Half-Life documentary, chronicling its development history at the game studio:
What’s in the new Half-Life update?
The first-person shooter Half-Life has officially turned 25 as of yesterday, and Valve is celebrating the event in a few fun ways for fans. First, the game is now free-to-keep on Steam until the end of today (November 20), so grab that deal before it’s gone. Half-Life was Valve’s first game ever released, following the crowbar-wielding scientist Gordon Freeman as he struggles to escape the Black Mesa Research Facility amid an alien invasion. The game spawned one of Valve’s most iconic game franchises ever, the latest entry in which was Half-Life: Alyx.
If you haven’t played the game yet, Valve’s Anniversary Update does a lot to bring it up to speed with modern platforms. The game now has upscaled UI for higher resolutions, Steam Networking play and controller support. Valve has also added Linux software rendering, lighting improvements, quality of life changes, bug fixes, balancing updates and widescreen field-of-view settings to the game via this update. Half-Life is also Steam Deck Verified as of this week, which means you can take it on the go without any trouble.
There are some meatier additions to the game that go beyond bug fixes and balance changes. Half-Life Uplink, a mini-campaign that was originally released as a CD-exclusive title for specific magazines and hardware makers decades ago, is now included in the game itself. The game’s multiplayer mode also has four new maps designed by Valve itself: Contamination, Disposal, Pool Party and Rocket Freny. Three other maps originally exclusive to the Half-Life: Further Data CD, Double Cross, Rust Mill and Xen DM, are also being added to the Steam version along with several multiplayer skins.
Half-Life is now free-to-keep on Steam, and its entire franchise is being discounted for a limited time until November 21.
