Half-Life 2: Remastered has been found on SteamDB, with a cool little logo and everything. That doesn't mean it's the real thing, as even the SteamDB staff has made a statement stating that it's "most likely a mod, not Valve related." Who knows, though?
While all signs would point to Half-Life 2: Remastered being a mod, especially given how lenient Valve has been with mods and offshoots of Half-Life, such as with Black Mesa (which started as a mod and became an official game and everything) or even mods like Half-Life 2: Update, which is a mod that is continuing to see development and serves as a remaster of sorts for Half-Life 2. Pretty lenient of Valve if you ask me, especially since it's uploaded onto their store and everything.
So maybe Half-Life 2: Remastered is a commercial version of Half-Life 2: Update? Probably not. There's a 17.27 GB Review Build that's currently under review, which is a lot bigger than Half Life 2: Update's 6.33 GB overall size. If it is, it probably has the extra size due to increased production, and the fact that the depot for Half-Life 2: Remastered also lists Half-Life 2: Episode 1, and Half-Life 2: Episode 2.
While the remaster was just updated today, it might be a while until we get more news about this, if we ever do. For all we know, it's a mod that someone is doing in their free time... or it could be Valve. Who knows. We'll keep you posted either way.
Quick Take:
I find it unlikely that it would be an official Valve remaster, but stranger things have happened. Maybe it's a mod, but that would be weird considering it's using the title Half-Life 2: Remastered, which seems like a title that Valve would use if they were ever going to remaster their game. Who knows, maybe with their interest in VR they aren't that interested in making non-VR games anymore, and if a Half-Life 2 remaster is going to come from them, it'll be Half-Life 2: VR instead. As for myself, I wouldn't be surprised by any scenario, whether it's a mod or an official product. Valve is odd like that.
What do you think of this news? Are you going to play a Half-Life 2 remaster if it ever were to come out? Let us know in the comments!
