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Half-Life: Alyx, the first Half-Life title in far too long has now been officially revealed with the Steam store page for it now available and you can also pre-purchase. However, their email clearly stated that Half-Life: Alyx will be "Free for owners of the Valve Index VR headset".

This is a title built from the ground up for Virtual Reality, so only those with a VR kit will be able to play. Valve said it has "all of the hallmarks of a classic Half-Life game" including exploration, puzzle solving, visceral combat and a story that connects it all together with the Half-Life universe. Valve also said it will be compatible with "all PC-based VR headsets", it's powered by their own Source 2 game engine and it will release in March 2020.

You can see the trailer below:

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From the press release sent to use earlier:

"Everyone at Valve is excited to be returning to the world of Half-Life", says Valve founder Gabe Newell. "VR has energized us. We've invested a lot of ourselves in the technology. But we're also game developers at heart, and to be devoting ourselves to a VR game this ambitious is just as exciting. For that to come in the form of Half-Life feels like the culmination of a lot things we care a lot about: truly great games, cutting edge technology, and open platforms. We can't wait for people to experience this."

If you end up buying Valve Index hardware before the end of 2019, Valve also said they will throw in a few bonuses which include:

  • Explore environments from Half-Life: Alyx in your SteamVR Home space
  • Alternate gun skins to embellish Alyx's arsenal
  • Special Half-Life: Alyx-themed content for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Dota 2

There's also going to be a focus on community-created content as well, with a set of Source 2 tools that will be available with the game.

Some of the team at Valve had a chat with Geoff Keighley too, which you can see in this video.

Currently the Steam store page and the official site for Half-Life: Alyx only state Windows support. Since Source 2 and SteamVR do work on Linux, it might be that the state of SteamVR on Linux isn't good enough just yet. Hopefully they're working on it though! I've reached out to Valve to ensure it will see a Linux release too and will update you when I know.

Update 19:40 UTC: Valve press emailed back, they said "Right now we can only confirm windows for this product".

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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Denommus Nov 21, 2019
No Linux support. Valve's VR doesn't support Linux at all, sadly.
x_wing Nov 21, 2019
The trailer really makes me wanna play it (I don't know why, but each teaser they do makes me want to play/test whatever they are promoting). But unfortunately VR sets are too expensive for me with their current prices :(


Last edited by x_wing on 21 November 2019 at 6:24 pm UTC
Liam Dawe Nov 21, 2019
Quoting: DenommusNo Linux support. Valve's VR doesn't support Linux at all, sadly.
Yes it does, a number of our readers have a Vive and/or an Index and use it Linux. SteamVR works on Linux. They even have a GitHub tracker for Linux related issues.
drlamb Nov 21, 2019
*Cue the influx of second hand vives to ebay.* I'll likely upgrade myself too, this game looks like a game I would invest time into in VR.


The index controllers were already a game changer for me in terms of the level of immersion so I cannot wait to experience this with the full kit.


Last edited by drlamb on 21 November 2019 at 6:46 pm UTC
sub Nov 21, 2019
Oh my gosh, that announcement trailer! 8(_________)

I'm not so much interested in the VR part
(simply because of the costs for the VR kit + capable PC),
but as a die-hard Half Life fan, this looks so fantastic...

I want a HL3 like that.


Last edited by sub on 21 November 2019 at 6:49 pm UTC
Denommus Nov 21, 2019
Quoting: Liam Dawe
Quoting: DenommusNo Linux support. Valve's VR doesn't support Linux at all, sadly.
Yes it does, a number of our readers have a Vive and/or an Index and use it Linux. SteamVR works on Linux. They even have a GitHub tracker for Linux related issues.

But this game won't support it directly, as far as it was announced.
Liam Dawe Nov 21, 2019
Quoting: Denommus
Quoting: Liam Dawe
Quoting: DenommusNo Linux support. Valve's VR doesn't support Linux at all, sadly.
Yes it does, a number of our readers have a Vive and/or an Index and use it Linux. SteamVR works on Linux. They even have a GitHub tracker for Linux related issues.

But this game won't support it directly, as far as it was announced.
Not sure what you're trying to say.

SteamVR works on Linux, Source 2 works on Linux.

Just this new game has so far only stated Windows and we're seeking confirmation.
GingerJesus Nov 21, 2019
Quoting: Denommus
Quoting: Liam Dawe
Quoting: DenommusNo Linux support. Valve's VR doesn't support Linux at all, sadly.
Yes it does, a number of our readers have a Vive and/or an Index and use it Linux. SteamVR works on Linux. They even have a GitHub tracker for Linux related issues.

But this game won't support it directly, as far as it was announced.
It's a little bit confusing. According to its store page, SteamVR is Windows only. In reality SteamVR does run on Linux. It's advertised as Windows only because the Linux version of SteamVR is in beta. I know of one other application (Sven Co-op that does the same thing.

Half-Life: Alyx might launch with a Linux beta. We'll just have to wait for clarification.
Tori Nov 21, 2019
Michael from Phoronix has anwsered me here that he has unofficial info, that it is in fact coming to Linux. Perhaps due to the beta state of VR on Linux, that's how it shows up?
Liam Dawe Nov 21, 2019
Quoting: ToriMichael from Phoronix has anwsered me here that he has unofficial info, that it is in fact coming to Linux. Perhaps due to the beta state of VR on Linux, that's how it shows up?
Ah yes, good old unofficial info that you're not confident enough to even mention in the article. I will wait for confirmation.
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