Half-Life (video game)#Remastered version

Half-Life is a first-person shooter that requires the player to perform combat tasks and puzzle solving to advance through the game. Unlike most first-person shooters at the time, which relied on cut-scene intermissions to detail their plotlines, Half-Life{{'}}s story is told mostly using scripted sequences (bar one short cutscene), keeping the player in control of the first-person viewpoint. In line with this, the player rarely loses the ability to control the player character, Gordon Freeman, who never speaks and is never actually seen in the game; the player sees "through his eyes" for the entire length of the game. Half-Life has no levels; it instead divides the game into chapters, whose titles briefly appear on screen as the player progresses through the game. With the exception of short loading pauses, progression throughout the game is continuous, with each map directly connecting to the next, with the exception of levels involving teleportation.{{Cite book |last=Bell |first=Joe Grant |title=Half-Life : Prima's Official Strategy Guide |date=November 25, 1998 |publisher=Prima Games |isbn=0-7615-1360-4}}

File:Halflife ingame.jpg, an AH-64 attack helicopter, and a gun turret in the chapter "Surface Tension"]]

The game regularly integrates puzzles, such as navigating a maze of conveyor belts or using nearby boxes to build a small staircase to the next area the player must travel to. Some puzzles involve using the environment to kill an enemy, like turning a valve to spray hot steam at their enemies. There are few bosses in the conventional sense, where the player defeats a superior opponent by direct confrontation. Instead, such organisms occasionally define chapters, and the player is generally expected to use the terrain, rather than firepower, to kill the boss. Late in the game, the player receives a "long jump module" for the HEV suit, which allows the player to increase the horizontal distance and speed of jumps by crouching before jumping. The player must rely on this ability to navigate various platformer-style jumping puzzles in Xen toward the end of the game.

The player battles alone for the majority of the game, but is occasionally assisted by non-player characters; specifically security guards and scientists who help the player. The guards will fight alongside the player, and both guards and scientists can assist in reaching new areas and pass on relevant plot information. An array of alien enemies populate the game, including headcrabs, bullsquids, vortigaunts, and headcrab zombies. The player also faces hostile human soldiers and Black Ops assassins. Half-Life includes online multiplayer support for both individual and team-based deathmatch modes.{{Cite web |date=November 26, 1998 |title=Half-Life Review |first1=Jason|last1=Bates|url=http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/153/153107p1.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071126130226/http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/153/153107p1.html |archive-date=November 26, 2007 |access-date=April 25, 2007 |website=IGN}} It was one of the first mainstream games to use the WASD keys as the default control scheme.{{cite web |last1=Wylde |first1=Tyler |date=June 24, 2016 |title=How WASD became the standard PC control scheme |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/how-wasd-became-the-standard-pc-control-scheme/ |access-date=June 9, 2023 |website=PC Gamer |archive-date=July 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230704050033/https://www.pcgamer.com/how-wasd-became-the-standard-pc-control-scheme/ |url-status=live }}

At the underground Black Mesa Research Facility, a theoretical physicist named Gordon Freeman participates in an experiment on a crystal of unknown origin. This triggers a resonance cascade, which greatly damages the facility and teleports in hostile alien creatures. Venturing to the surface, Freeman discovers U.S. federal government soldiers have been dispatched to cover-up the incident by killing humans and aliens alike. He is instructed by a scientist to make his way to the Lambda Complex to stop the alien invasion.

Freeman kills a giant creature inside a rocket engine test facility. He uses an underground monorail to reach a rocket silo, where he launches a satellite to help the Lambda team. Freeman is captured by soldiers and left for dead inside a trash compactor. Escaping through a waste treatment complex, he discovers a laboratory filled with alien specimens, collected long before the resonance cascade.

Overpowered by the aliens, the soldiers begin to withdraw. Freeman fights across a military base to reach the Lambda Complex, where he discovers secret teleportation technology. There, scientists inform him that a powerful alien creature is preventing them from closing the portal. They teleport him to the alien dimension of Xen to kill it.

Freeman encounters dead scientists who teleported there before him. He kills a large alien, the Gonarch, and finds a factory that manufactures alien soldiers. Finally, he discovers the Nihilanth's lair and kills it. Freeman is detained by the G-Man, a mysterious interdimensional agent who claims his "employers" wish to hire Freeman. If he accepts, Freeman is placed into stasis; if not, he is teleported to his death.

{{quote box| quote = Half-Life in many ways was a reactionary response to the trivialization of the experience of the first-person genre. Many of us had fallen in love with video games because of the phenomenological possibilities of the field and felt like the industry was reducing the experiences to least common denominators rather than exploring those possibilities. Our hope was that building worlds and characters would be more compelling than building shooting galleries.

| source = —Valve president Gabe Newell{{Cite web |last=Tufnell |first=Nicholas |date=November 25, 2011 |title=Interview: Gabe Newell |url=http://www.tcs.cam.ac.uk/story_type/site_trail_story/interview-gabe-newell/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111126125407/http://www.tcs.cam.ac.uk/story_type/site_trail_story/interview-gabe-newell/ |archive-date=November 26, 2011 |access-date=November 26, 2011 |website=The Cambridge Student Online}}| align = right| width = 20%| salign = right}}

Valve, based in Kirkland, Washington, U.S., was founded in 1996 by the former Microsoft employees Gabe Newell and Mike Harrington.{{Cite web |title=Final Hours of Half-Life: The Microsoft Millionaires |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part2.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120520110111/http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part2.html |archive-date=May 20, 2012 |access-date=September 12, 2006 |website=GameSpot}} For their first product, Valve settled on a concept for a horror first-person shooter (FPS) game.{{Cite web |title=The Final Hours of Half-Life: The id visit |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part22.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110223141855/http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part22.html |archive-date=February 23, 2011 |access-date=September 12, 2006 |website=GameSpot}} They did not want to build their own game engine, as this would have created too much work for a small team and Newell planned to innovate in different areas. Instead, Valve licensed the Quake engine and the Quake II engine from id Software and combined them with their own code.{{Cite web |date=July 23, 2001 |title=Half Life: Interview With Gabe Newell |url=http://extra.gamespot.co.uk/pc.gamespot/features/halflife_uk/02.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010723160349/http://extra.gamespot.co.uk/pc.gamespot/features/halflife_uk/02.html |archive-date=July 23, 2001 |access-date=November 3, 2021 |website=GameSpot}} Newell estimated that around 75% of the final engine code was by Valve. As the project expanded, Valve cancelled development of a fantasy role-playing game, Prospero, and the Prospero team joined the Half-Life project.{{Cite web |date=August 8, 2003 |title=Marc Laidlaw On Story And Narrative |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/marc-laidlaw-on-story-and-narrative |access-date=March 12, 2021 |website=Gamasutra |language=en |archive-date=November 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107113004/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131227/marc_laidlaw_on_story_and_narrative.php |url-status=live }}

Half-Life was inspired by the FPS games Doom (1993) and Quake (1996),{{Cite book |last=Hodgson |first=David |title=Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar |publisher=Prima Games |year=2004 |isbn=0-7615-4364-3}}{{Rp|pages=9, 11}} Stephen King's 1980 novella The Mist, and a 1963 episode of The Outer Limits titled "The Borderland".{{Cite book |last=Hodgson |first=David |title=Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar |publisher=Prima Games |year=2004 |isbn=0-7615-4364-3 |pages=11, 37}} According to the designer Harry Teasley, Doom was a major influence and the team wanted Half-Life to "scare you like Doom did". The project had the working title Quiver, after the Arrowhead military base from The Mist.{{Cite web |title=The Final Hours of Half-Life: The Valve Difference |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part3.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110224220138/http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part3.html |archive-date=February 24, 2011 |access-date=September 14, 2006 |website=GameSpot}} The name Half-Life was chosen because it was evocative of the theme, not clichéd, and had a corresponding visual symbol: the Greek letter λ (lower-case lambda), which represents the decay constant in the half-life equation.{{Rp|page=31}} According to the designer Brett Johnson, the level design was inspired by environments in the manga series Akira.{{Cite news |date=August 29, 2018 |title=Half-Life tiene varias referencias a Akira |language=es |work=MeriStation |publisher=Diario AS |url=https://as.com/meristation/2018/08/29/noticias/1535543681_545901.html |url-status=live |access-date=October 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181014010144/https://as.com/meristation/2018/08/29/noticias/1535543681_545901.html |archive-date=October 14, 2018}}

Valve struggled to find a publisher, as many believed the game was too ambitious for a first-time developer. Sierra On-Line signed Valve for a one-game deal as it was interested in making a 3D action game, especially one based on the Quake engine.{{Cite web |title=The Final Hours of Half-Life: The Right E-mail, the Right Time |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part24.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110224220100/http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part24.html |archive-date=February 24, 2011 |access-date=September 14, 2006 |website=GameSpot}} Sierra gave Valve an advance of around $1 million in exchange for 30% of the revenue and 100% of the intellectual property; the rest of development was funded by Newell and Harrington.{{Cite web |last=Pastis |first=Stephe |date=2024-12-06 |title=How Valve founder Gabe Newell turned Half-Life into a nearly $10 billion fortune |url=https://www.forbes.com.au/covers/magazine/how-valve-founder-gabe-newell-turned-half-life-into-a-nearly-10-billion-fortune/ |access-date=2024-12-11 |website=Forbes Australia |language=en-US}} Valve first showed Half-Life in early 1997; it was a success at E3 that year, where Valve demonstrated the animation and artificial intelligence.{{Cite web |title=The Final Hours of Half-Life: The Public Debut |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part34.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100308234131/http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part34.html |archive-date=March 8, 2010 |access-date=September 14, 2006 |website=GameSpot}} Novel features of the artificial intelligence included fear and pack behavior.{{Cite magazine |date=August 1997 |title=NG Alphas: Half Life |url=https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_32/page/n107 |magazine=Next Generation |publisher=Imagine Media |issue=32 |pages=106–7}}

Valve aimed for a November 1997 release to compete with Quake II.{{Cite web |last=Birdwell |first=Ken |date=December 10, 1999 |title=The Cabal: Valve's Design Process For Creating Half-Life |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131815/the_cabal_valves_design_process_.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161116140435/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131815/the_cabal_valves_design_process_.php |archive-date=November 16, 2016 |access-date=February 14, 2017 |website=Gamasutra}}{{Cite web |title=The Final Hours of Half-Life: Reassembling the Pieces |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part4.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928033502/http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part4.html |archive-date=September 28, 2011 |access-date=September 14, 2006 |website=GameSpot}} By September 1997, the team found that, while they had built some innovative aspects in weapons, enemies, and level design, the game was not fun and there was little design cohesion. Playtesting produced "lukewarm" responses.{{Cite news |last=Carpenter |first=Lincoln |date=2024-09-13 |title='There's an alternate universe where Half-Life disappeared after release': Valve's first marketing strategist Monica Harrington says she helped navigate its way out of early disaster |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/theres-an-alternate-universe-where-half-life-disappeared-after-release-valves-first-marketing-strategist-monica-harrington-says-she-helped-navigate-its-way-out-of-early-disaster/ |access-date=2024-12-12 |work=PC Gamer |language=en}} Sierra would not agree to extra funding, so Newell took out a loan to fund additional development to rework the game.

Valve took a novel approach of assigning a small team to build a prototype level containing every element in the game and then spent a month iterating on the level. When the rest of the team played the level, which the designer Ken Birdwell described as "Die Hard meets Evil Dead", they agreed to use it as a baseline. The team developed three theories about what made the level fun. First, it had several interesting things happen in it, all triggered by the player rather than a timer so that the player would set the pace of the level. Second, the level responded to any player action, even for something as simple as adding graphic decals to wall textures to show a bullet impact. Finally, the level warned the player of imminent danger to allow them to avoid it, rather than killing the player with no warning.

To move forward with this unified design, Valve sought a game designer but found no one suitable. Instead, Valve created the "cabal", initially a group of six individuals from across all departments that worked primarily for six months straight in six-hour meetings four days a week. The cabal was responsible for all elements of design, including level layouts, key events, enemy designs, narrative, and the introduction of gameplay elements relative to the story. The collaboration proved successful, and once the cabal had come to decisions on types of gameplay elements that would be needed, mini-cabals from other departments most affected by the choice were formed to implement these elements. Membership in the main cabal rotated since the required commitment created burnout.

The cabal produced a 200-page design document detailing nearly every aspect of the game. They also produced a 30-page document for the narrative, and hired the science fiction novelist Marc Laidlaw to help manage the script. Laidlaw said his contribution was to add "old storytelling tricks" to the team's ambitious designs: "I was in awe of [the team]. It felt to me like I was just borrowing from old standards while they were the ones doing something truly new."{{Cite web |date=July 17, 2017 |title=Marc Laidlaw (Valve) - Interview |url=https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/marc-laidlaw/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012165926/https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/marc-laidlaw/ |archive-date=October 12, 2019 |access-date=November 23, 2019 |website=Arcade Attack |language=en-GB}} Rather than dictate narrative elements "from some kind of ivory tower of authorial inspiration", he worked with the team to improvise ideas, and was inspired by their experiments. For example, he conceived the opening train ride after an engineer implemented train code for another concept.

Valve initially planned to use traditional cutscenes, but switched to a continuous first-person perspective for lack of time. Laidlaw said they discovered unexpected advantages in this approach, as it created a sense of immersion and enforced a sense of loneliness in a frightening environment.{{Cite news |last=Peel |first=Jeremy |date=March 1, 2023 |title='The narrative had to be baked into the corridors': Marc Laidlaw on writing Half-Life |language=en |work=Rock, Paper, Shotgun |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/the-narrative-had-to-be-baked-into-the-corridors-marc-laidlaw-on-writing-half-life |access-date=March 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302232014/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/the-narrative-had-to-be-baked-into-the-corridors-marc-laidlaw-on-writing-half-life |archive-date=March 2, 2023}} Laidlaw felt that non-player characters were unnecessary to guide players if the design had sufficiently strong "visual grammar", and that this allowed the characters to "feel like characters instead of signposts". An early version of Half-Life began immediately after the disaster, with the environments already wrecked. Laidlaw worked with Johnson to create versions of the lab environment before the disaster to help set the story. He said: "These were all economical ways of doing storytelling with the architecture — which was my whole obsession. The narrative had to be baked into the corridors."

Within a month of the cabal's formation, the other team members started detailed game development, and within another month began playtesting through Sierra. The cabal was intimately involved with playtesting, monitoring the player but otherwise not interacting. They noted any confusion or inability to solve a game's puzzles and made them into action items to be fixed on the next iteration. Later, with most of the main adjustments made, the team included means to benchmark players' actions. They then collected and interpreted statistically to fine-tune levels further. Between the cabal and playtesting, Valve identified and removed parts that proved unenjoyable. Birdwell said that while there were struggles at first, the cabal approach was critical for Half-Life{{'}}s success, and was reused for Team Fortress 2 from the start.

Much of the detail of Half-Life{{'s}} development has been lost. According to Valve employee Erik Johnson, two or three months before release, their Visual SourceSafe source control system "exploded". Logs of technical changes from before the final month of development were lost, and code had to be recovered from individual computers.{{Cite web |last=Wawro |first=Alex |date=February 13, 2017 |title=Valve explains why we'll never see the full history of Half-Life's development |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/291408/Valve_explains_why_well_never_see_the_full_history_of_HalfLifes_development.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214102632/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/291408/Valve_explains_why_well_never_see_the_full_history_of_HalfLifes_development.php |archive-date=February 14, 2017 |access-date=February 13, 2017 |website=Gamasutra}} The revised version of Half-Life shown at E3 1998 was received the Game Critics Awards for "Best PC Game" and "Best Action Game".

To promote Half-Life, Valve's chief marketing officer, Monica Harrington, promoted Valve's reputation in the industry, with conference talks about their advances in game development, leading to coverage in the Wall Street Journal.

Half-Life was released on November 19, 1998.{{Cite web |title=The Final Hours of Half-Life: Reassembling the Pieces |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part5.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110225022620/http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part5.html |archive-date=February 25, 2011 |access-date=September 14, 2006 |website=GameSpot}} When Sierra told Valve it was not planning to promote it beyond launch, Monica Harrington threatened that Valve would "walk away from our agreement and tell the industry that had fallen in love with Valve how screwed up Sierra really was". In response, Sierra reissued Half-Life in a "Game of the Year" edition, boosting sales. In 2001, after renegotiating with Sierra, Valve gained the Half-Life intellectual property and online distribution rights for its games.

Valve released two Half-Life demos. The first, Half-Life: Day One, contained the first fifth of the game and was distributed with certain graphic cards. The second, Half-Life: Uplink, was released on February 12, 1999, and featured original content.{{Cite web |title=Valve Archive – Half-Life: Uplink Demo |url=https://valvearchive.com/half-life/uplink/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716214828/http://valvearchive.com/half-life/uplink/ |archive-date=July 16, 2018 |access-date=March 19, 2019 |website=valvearchive.com}} A short film based on Half-Life, also titled Half-Life: Uplink, was developed by Cruise Control, a British marketing agency, and released on February 11, 1999.{{Cite web |date=February 11, 1999 |title=Half Life Demo is Here! |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/02/12/half-life-demo-is-here |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181124004018/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/02/12/half-life-demo-is-here |archive-date=November 24, 2018 |access-date=November 23, 2018 |website=IGN}} The protagonist is a journalist who infiltrates the Black Mesa Research Facility, trying to discover what has happened there.{{Citation |last=Combine OverWiki |title=Half-Life: Uplink (1999 short film) |date=January 2, 2011 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw7TVE4mUVg |access-date=March 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108010757/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw7TVE4mUVg |url-status=live |archive-date=January 8, 2019}}

Half-Life was censored in Germany to comply with the Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons, which regulates depictions of violence against humans. Valve replaced the human characters with robots, spilling oil and gears instead of blood and body parts when killed, among other changes. In 2017, Half-Life was removed from the German censorship list. To acknowledge this, Valve released Half-Life Uncensored, a free downloadable content pack, that reverts the censorship.{{Cite web |last=Frank |first=Allegra |date=May 4, 2017 |title=Half-Life goes uncensored in Germany, two decades after original release |url=https://www.polygon.com/2017/5/4/15543420/half-life-german-version-uncensored |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190322210806/https://www.polygon.com/2017/5/4/15543420/half-life-german-version-uncensored |archive-date=March 22, 2019 |access-date=March 22, 2019 |website=Polygon}}

{{See also|Unreleased Half-Life games#Dreamcast port}}Valve canceled a version of Half-Life for MacOS, developed by Logicware, in 2000. Newell said the port was substandard and would have made Mac players "second-class customers".{{Cite web |last=Ajami |first=Amer |date=April 27, 2000 |title=Mac Half-Life canceled |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/mac-half-life-canceled/1100-2448672/ |access-date=February 4, 2023 |website=GameSpot |language=en-US |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204144617/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/mac-half-life-canceled/1100-2448672/ |url-status=live }} Rebecca Heineman, the co-founder of Logicware, denied this, saying that Valve cancelled the port as Apple had angered them by misrepresenting sales projections. She said the port was complete and three weeks from release.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPTLPXNtb2I&ab_channel=RMC-TheCave |title=Rebecca Heineman - Developer & Co-Founder of Interplay {{!}} Retro Tea Break |date=February 2, 2023 |time=1:36:41 |via=YouTube |access-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204152955/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPTLPXNtb2I&ab_channel=RMC-TheCave |url-status=live }} Valve released ports for OS X and Linux in 2013.{{Cite web |last=Ingraham |first=Nathan |date=January 25, 2013 |title=Original Half-Life finally available for OS X through Steam nearly 15 years after its release |url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/1/25/3915338/original-half-life-finally-available-for-os-x-through-steam |access-date=February 4, 2023 |website=The Verge |language=en-US |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204144617/https://www.theverge.com/2013/1/25/3915338/original-half-life-finally-available-for-os-x-through-steam |url-status=live }}

Captivation Digital Laboratories and Gearbox Software developed a port of Half-Life for the Dreamcast, with new character models and textures and an exclusive expansion, Blue Shift.{{Cite web |last=Stahl |first=Ben |date=September 5, 2000 |title=ECTS Half-Life Dreamcast Hands-On |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ectshalf-life-dreamcast-hands-on/1100-2624258/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921095128/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ectshalf-life-dreamcast-hands-on/1100-2624258/ |archive-date=September 21, 2017 |access-date=October 26, 2008 |website=GameSpot}} Following the cancellations of several third-party Dreamcast games in the wake of Sega's decision to discontinue the console in March 2001, Sierra cancelled the port weeks before its scheduled release in June, citing "changing marketing conditions".{{Cite web |last=Chau |first=Anthony |date=June 18, 2001 |title=Not Given Half A Chance: The Cancellation of Half-Life |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/06/18/not-given-half-a-chance-the-cancellation-of-half-life |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160804093350/http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/06/18/not-given-half-a-chance-the-cancellation-of-half-life |archive-date=August 4, 2016 |access-date=July 18, 2016 |website=IGN}}{{Cite news |last=Satterfield |first=Shane |date=July 31, 2001 |title=Half-Life for the Dreamcast officially cancelled |work=GameSpot |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/half-life-for-the-dreamcast-officially-cancelled/1100-2776155/ |access-date=November 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210716065645/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/half-life-for-the-dreamcast-officially-cancelled/1100-2776155/ |archive-date=July 16, 2021}} Blue Shift was ported to Windows.{{Cite web |date=March 29, 2001 |title=Ready to Jump Back into the Black Mesa Research Facility? |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/03/30/ready-to-jump-back-into-the-black-mesa-research-facility |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820095527/http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/03/30/ready-to-jump-back-into-the-black-mesa-research-facility |archive-date=August 20, 2016 |access-date=July 18, 2016 |website=IGN}} The Dreamcast port became the basis of the Half-Life port for PlayStation 2, released in late 2001. This version added competitive play and a co-op expansion, Half-Life: Decay.{{Cite web |date=November 17, 2000 |title=Sierra Delivers Half-Life to PlayStation 2 |url=http://uk.ps2.ign.com/articles/087/087979p1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120215010054/http://uk.ps2.ign.com/articles/087/087979p1.html |archive-date=February 15, 2012 |access-date=November 10, 2019 |website=IGN}}

In 2004, Valve released Half-Life: Source, a remastered version of Half-Life ported to their new game engine, Source. It includes few new graphical elements, but does add new ragdoll physics, advanced water effects, and 5.1 surround sound. It received negative reviews for its many glitches and lack of significant graphical improvements.{{Cite web |last=McNamara |first=Tom |date=November 19, 2004 |title=Half-Life: Source |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/11/19/half-life-source |access-date=February 13, 2022 |website=IGN |language=en |archive-date=April 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210401153955/https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/11/19/half-life-source |url-status=live }} Half-Life's deathmatch mode was later ported to Source separately in 2006 as Half-Life Deathmatch: Source.{{cite web |title=Half-Life Deathmatch: Source |url=https://www.ign.com/games/half-life-deathmatch-source |website=IGN |access-date=25 May 2025 |language=en |archive-date=25 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250525201750/https://www.ign.com/games/half-life-deathmatch-source |url-status=live}} Following the release of the Half-Life 25th anniversary update in 2023, both ports were delisted from Steam and do not appear in its search results.{{Cite web |last=Bevan |first=Rhiannon |date=2023-11-18 |title=Valve Finally Unlists Buggy Half-Life: Source |url=https://www.thegamer.com/half-life-source-unlisted-from-steam-buggy-cant-find/ |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=TheGamer |language=en}}

Black Mesa, a third-party remake of Half-Life developed by Crowbar Collective on the Source engine, was published as a free mod in September 2012 and later approved by Valve for a commercial standalone release.{{Cite magazine |last=Senior, Tom |date=September 3, 2012 |title=Black Mesa Source release date revealed, high-res headcrabs due in 11 days |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/09/03/black-mesa-source-release-date-revealed-high-res-headcrabs-due-in-11-days/ |url-status=live |magazine=PC Gamer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120922020144/http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/09/03/black-mesa-source-release-date-revealed-high-res-headcrabs-due-in-11-days/ |archive-date=September 22, 2012 |access-date=September 22, 2012}}{{Cite magazine |last=Cobbett, Richard |date=September 14, 2012 |title=Black Mesa Source released – download it now! |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/09/14/black-mesa-source-finally-released-download-it-now/ |url-status=live |magazine=PC Gamer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925011202/http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/09/14/black-mesa-source-finally-released-download-it-now/ |archive-date=September 25, 2012 |access-date=September 22, 2012}}

{{external media|video1=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbZ3HzvFEto 25th anniversary documentary on Half-Life by Valve]}}

In November 2023, for the 25th anniversary of Half-Life, Valve updated the Steam version to revert content to its original 1998 state, fix long-standing bugs, and add content including the Half-Life: Uplink demo, four new multiplayer maps, Steam Deck support, rendering improvements, and support for 4K resolution monitors.{{cite web |last=Koselke |first=Anna |date=November 17, 2023 |title=Half-Life gets massive update for 25th anniversary, new maps and more |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/half-life/update-anniversary |accessdate=November 17, 2023 |work=PCGamesN |archive-date=November 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231117200338/https://www.pcgamesn.com/half-life/update-anniversary |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/70/view/6941797379568863069 |title=Half-Life 25th Anniversary Update |website=Steam |date=November 17, 2023 |access-date=2023-11-29 |archive-date=December 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231201175638/http://store.steampowered.com/news/app/70/view/6941797379568863069 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/how-valve-finally-fixed-a-half-life-bug-thats-almost-as-old-as-the-game-itself |title=How Valve Finally Fixed a Half-Life Bug That's Almost as Old as the Game Itself |website=IGN |date=November 24, 2023 |access-date=2023-11-29 |archive-date=November 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231129032752/https://www.ign.com/articles/how-valve-finally-fixed-a-half-life-bug-thats-almost-as-old-as-the-game-itself |url-status=live }} Valve also released an hour-long documentary on the creation of Half-Life, featuring commentary from the original developers, designers and artists.{{Cite news |last=Lane |first=Rick |date=November 20, 2023 |title=Half-Life's 25th anniversary celebrations have caused a resonance cascade in its Steam player-count, surging to a new all-time high over the weekend |language=en |work=PC Gamer |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/half-lifes-25th-anniversary-celebrations-have-caused-a-resonance-cascade-in-its-steam-player-count-surging-to-a-new-all-time-high-over-the-weekend/ |access-date=November 20, 2023 |archive-date=November 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120130309/https://www.pcgamer.com/half-lifes-25th-anniversary-celebrations-have-caused-a-resonance-cascade-in-its-steam-player-count-surging-to-a-new-all-time-high-over-the-weekend/ |url-status=live }} Two days after the release, Half-Life reached 33,471 concurrent players on Steam, its highest-ever number.

Half-Life received support from independent game developers, supported and encouraged by Valve. With the game, Valve included Worldcraft, the level design tool used during development, and a software development kit, enabling developers to create mods. Both tools were updated with the release of the patch 1.1.0.0. Supporting tools (including texture editors, model editors, and level editors such as the multiple engine editor QuArK) were either created or updated to work with Half-Life.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}

The Half-Life software development kit served as the development base for many mods, including the Valve-developed Team Fortress Classic and Deathmatch Classic (a remake of Quake{{'}}s multiplayer deathmatch mode in the GoldSrc engine).{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=Trey |date=June 7, 2001 |title=Valve releases Deathmatch Classic mod for Half-Life |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/valve-releases-deathmatch-classic-mod-for-half-life/1100-2771202/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022201459/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/valve-releases-deathmatch-classic-mod-for-half-life/1100-2771202/ |archive-date=October 22, 2016 |website=GameSpot}} Other mods such as Counter-Strike and Day of Defeat (DOD) began life as the work of independent developers who later received aid from Valve. Other multiplayer mods include Firearms, Natural Selection and Sven Co-op. Single-player mods include USS Darkstar (1999, a futuristic action-adventure on board a zoological research spaceship) and They Hunger (2000–2001, a survival horror total conversion trilogy involving zombies).Coverage of modifications of Half-Life include:

• For Firearms, see {{cite web |date=April 30, 2000 |title=Half-Life: Firearms Released! |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/article-27305 |access-date=October 28, 2024 |publisher=EuroGamer}}
• For Natural Selection, see {{Cite web |date=2002 |title=GameSpy 2002 Game of the Year Awards |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/goty2002/pc/index15.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050208004604/http://archive.gamespy.com/goty2002/pc/index15.shtml |archive-date=February 8, 2005 |access-date=October 31, 2024 |publisher=GameSpy}}
• For Sven Co-op, see {{cite web |last=Lane |first=Rick |date=March 25, 2016 |title=The People Who Have Spent 17 Years Perfecting Co-op Half-Life |url=https://kotaku.com/the-people-who-have-spent-17-years-perfecting-co-op-hal-1767029543 |website=Kotaku}}
• For USS Darkstar, see {{cite web |title=Black Widow Games: Five Days of Fear (Day 1) |url=http://planethalflife.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Previews.Detail&id=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107001442/http://planethalflife.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Previews.Detail&id=1 |archive-date=November 7, 2012 |website=Planet Half-Life |publisher=GameSpy}}
• For They Hunger, see {{cite journal |last1=Wright |first1=Talmadge |last2=Boria |first2=Eric |last3=Breidenbach |first3=Paul |date=December 2002 |title=Creative Player Actions in FPS Online Video Games - Playing Counter-Strike |url=https://www.gamestudies.org/0202/wright/ |journal=Game Studies: The International Journal of Computer Game Research |volume=2 |issue=2}}

Some Half-Life modifications received retail releases. Counter-Strike was the most successful, having been released in six different editions: as a standalone product (2000), as part of the Platinum Pack (2000), as an Xbox version (2003), and as a single-player spin-off, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero (2004), as well as in two versions using the Source engine. Team Fortress Classic, Day of Defeat, Gunman Chronicles (2000, a futuristic Western movie-style total conversion with emphasis on its single-player mode) and Sven Co-op were also released as standalone products. Half-Life is also the subject of the YouTube improv roleplaying series Half-Life VR but the AI is Self-Aware and Freeman's Mind.{{Cite web |last=Zwiezen |first=Zack |date=April 19, 2020 |title=How's It Going?: HL:VR But The AI Is Self-Aware Edition |url=https://kotaku.com/hows-it-going-hl-vr-but-the-ai-is-self-aware-edition-1842937799 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200427222407/https://kotaku.com/hows-it-going-hl-vr-but-the-ai-is-self-aware-edition-1842937799 |archive-date=April 27, 2020 |access-date=April 28, 2020 |website=Kotaku |language=en-us}}{{Cite web |date=April 16, 2020 |title=In Half-Life's improv scene, anyone can speak for Gordon Freeman |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/04/from-fps-to-improv-stage-half-life-as-the-new-community-theater/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200419130837/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/04/from-fps-to-improv-stage-half-life-as-the-new-community-theater/ |archive-date=April 19, 2020 |access-date=April 28, 2020 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}{{Cite magazine |last=Livingston |first=Christopher |date=April 2, 2017 |title=YouTube comedy series Freeman's Mind arrives in Half-Life 2 |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/youtube-comedy-series-freemans-mind-arrives-in-half-life-2/ |url-status=live |magazine=PC Gamer |language=en-US |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119150755/http://www.pcgamer.com/youtube-comedy-series-freemans-mind-arrives-in-half-life-2/ |archive-date=January 19, 2018 |access-date=April 28, 2020}}

In 2003, Valve's network was infiltrated by hackers. Among the stolen files was the unreleased Half-Life mod Half-Life: Threewave, a canceled remake of the Quake mod Threewave CTF. The files were found by fans on a Vietnamese FTP server in February 2016 and unofficially distributed that September.{{Cite news |last=Orland |first=Kyle |date=September 21, 2016 |title=The unreleased Half-Life multiplayer mod that you can play now |work=Ars Technica |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/09/the-unreleased-half-life-multiplayer-mod-that-you-can-play-now/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160922000920/http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/09/the-unreleased-half-life-multiplayer-mod-that-you-can-play-now/ |archive-date=September 22, 2016}}

{{Video game reviews

| MC = 96/100 (PC){{Cite web |title=Half-Life for PC |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/half-life/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202142328/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/half-life |archive-date=February 2, 2017 |access-date=November 3, 2011 |publisher=Metacritic}}
87/100 (PS2){{Cite web |title=Half-Life for PlayStation 2 |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/half-life/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203182742/http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-2/half-life |archive-date=December 3, 2011 |access-date=November 3, 2011 |publisher=Metacritic}}

| Allgame = 5/5{{Cite web |last=House, Michael L. |year=2014 |title=Half-Life |url=http://allgame.com/game.php?id=14496&tab=review |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114175221/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=14496&tab=review |archive-date=November 14, 2014 |website=Allgame}}

| CGW = 5/5

| GameFan = 100/100 (PC){{Cite magazine |last=Big Bubba |title=Half-Life Review |url=http://www.gamefan.com/repre.asp?g=848&t=r |url-status=dead |magazine=GameFan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000618122852/http://www.gamefan.com/repre.asp?g=848&t=r |archive-date=June 18, 2000 |access-date=May 16, 2021}}

| GSpot = 9.4/10

| IGN = 9.5/10

| NGen = 5/5 (PC)
3/5 (PS2)

}}

On the review aggregation website Metacritic, Half-Life has a score of 96 out of 100, indicating "universal acclaim". Computer Gaming World{{'}}s Jeff Green said it was "not just one of the best games of the year. It's one of the best games of any year, an instant classic that is miles better than any of its immediate competition, and – in its single-player form – is the best shooter since the original Doom."{{Cite magazine |last=Green |first=Jeff |date=February 1, 1999 |title=Half-Life |url=http://www.gamespot.com/action/halflif/review_cgw.html |magazine=Computer Gaming World |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020209221334/http://www.gamespot.com/action/halflif/review_cgw.html |archive-date=February 9, 2002 |access-date=April 14, 2010}} Next Generation wrote: "It is fast paced, it is dramatic, and it brings the very idea of adventure on a PC out of the dark ages and into a 3D world. All that and not a single Orc in sight."{{Cite magazine |date=February 1999 |title=Finals |magazine=Next Generation |publisher=Imagine Media |issue=50 |pages=94–95}} IGN described it as "a tour de force in game design, the definitive single player game in a first-person shooter". GameSpot said it was the "closest thing to a revolutionary step the genre has ever taken".{{Cite web |title=Half-Life Review |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/half-life-review/1900-2537398/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031232543/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/half-life-review/1900-2537398/ |archive-date=October 31, 2013 |access-date=April 25, 2007 |website=GameSpot}}

Several reviewers cited the level of immersion and interactivity as revolutionary. AllGame said, "It isn't everyday that you come across a game that totally revolutionizes an entire genre, but Half-Life has done just that." Hot Games commented on the realism, and how the environment "all adds up to a totally immersive gaming experience that makes everything else look quite shoddy in comparison".{{Cite web |title=Half-Life review |url=http://pc.hotgames.com/games/halfli/review.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030201114816/http://pc.hotgames.com/games/halfli/review.htm |archive-date=February 1, 2003 |access-date=March 30, 2008 |publisher=Hot Games}} Gamers Depot wrote that it was the most immersive game they had played.{{Cite web |title=Half-Life review |url=http://www.gamers-depot.com/games/rev-game-half-life.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050308103126/http://www.gamers-depot.com/games/rev-game-half-life.htm |archive-date=March 8, 2005 |access-date=March 30, 2008 |publisher=Gamers Depot}}

The final portion of the game, taking place in the alien world of Xen, was generally considered the weakest. Besides introducing a wholly new and alien setting, it also featured a number of low-gravity jumping puzzles. The GoldSrc engine did not provide as much precise control for the player during jumping, making these jumps difficult and often with Freeman falling into a void and the player restarting the game.{{Cite book |last=Hollerman |first=Patrick |title=Reverse Design |publisher=CRC Press |year=2018 |isbn=978-0429834400 |chapter=The Platform Theme}}{{Cite web |last=Hall |first=Charlie |date=November 19, 2018 |title=Half-Life's hated Xen levels look great in Black Mesa remake |url=https://www.polygon.com/2018/11/19/18102824/half-life-mod-black-mesa-xen-trailer |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223234147/https://www.polygon.com/2018/11/19/18102824/half-life-mod-black-mesa-xen-trailer |archive-date=February 23, 2020 |access-date=February 23, 2020 |website=Polygon}} Wired{{'s}} Julie Muncy called the Xen sequence "an abbreviated, unpleasant stop on an alien world with bad platforming and a boss fight against what appeared, by all accounts, to be a giant floating infant".{{Cite magazine |last=Muncy |first=Julie |date=March 5, 2020 |title=Black Mesa, a Half-Life Fan Fantasy, Finally Comes to Life |url=https://www.wired.com/story/black-mesa-half-life/ |url-status=live |magazine=Wired |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200305193127/https://www.wired.com/story/black-mesa-half-life/ |archive-date=March 5, 2020 |access-date=March 5, 2020}} The Electric Playground said that Half-Life was an "immersive and engaging entertainment experience" in its first half and that it "peaked too soon".{{Cite web |title=Half-Life |url=http://www.elecplay.com/reviews_article.php?article=204 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070910123915/http://www.elecplay.com/reviews_article.php?article=204 |archive-date=September 10, 2007 |access-date=March 30, 2008 |publisher=The Electric Playground}}

During the AIAS' 2nd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, Half-Life was awarded "Computer Entertainment Title of the Year" and "PC Action Game of the Year"; it also received nominations for "Game of the Year" and outstanding achievement in "Art/Graphics", "Character or Story Development", "Interactive Design", and "Software Engineering".{{Cite web |title=Second Interactive Achievement Awards - Game of the Year |url=http://www.interactive.org/iaa/finalists_titleofyear.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991104011602/http://www.interactive.org/iaa/finalists_titleofyear.html |archive-date=November 4, 1999 |access-date=May 12, 2023 |website=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences }}{{Cite web |title=Second Interactive Achievement Awards - Computer |url=http://www.interactive.org/iaa/finalists_pc.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991104003923/http://www.interactive.org/iaa/finalists_pc.html |archive-date=November 4, 1999 |access-date=May 12, 2023 |website=Interactive.org |publisher=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences}}{{Cite web |title=Second Interactive Achievement Awards - Craft Award |url=http://www.interactive.org/iaa/finalists_craft.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991103220401/http://www.interactive.org/iaa/finalists_craft.html |archive-date=November 3, 1999 |access-date=May 12, 2023 |website=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences }}

Jeff Lundrigan reviewed the PlayStation 2 version for Next Generation, rating it three out of five, and wrote that "it may be getting old, but there's still a surprising amount of life in Half-Life".{{Cite magazine |last=Lundrigan |first=Jeff |date=December 2001 |title=Finals |magazine=Next Generation |publisher=Imagine Media |volume=4 |issue=12 |page=105}} The PlayStation 2 version was a nominee for The Electric Playground{{'}}s 2001 Blister Awards for "Best Console Shooter Game", but lost to Halo: Combat Evolved for Xbox.{{Cite web |last=Staff |date=January 25, 2002 |title=Blister Awards 2001 |url=http://www.elecplay.com/feature.html?id=8152&page=5 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030713062025/http://www.elecplay.com/feature.html?id=8152&page=5 |archive-date=July 13, 2003 |website=The Electric Playground}}

In 1999, 2001, and 2005, PC Gamer named Half-Life the best PC game of all time.{{Cite magazine |date=November 1999 |title=The 50 Best Games Ever |magazine=PC Gamer USA |page=119 |issue=66}}{{Cite magazine |date=October 2001 |title=50 Best Games of All Time |magazine=PC Gamer USA |page=73 |issue=89}}{{Cite magazine |date=April 2005 |title=The 50 Best Games of All Time |magazine=PC Gamer USA |page=57 |volume=12 |issue=135}} In 2004, GameSpy readers voted Half-Life the best game of all time.{{Cite web |title=Gamespy Title Fight! – Championship Final |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/titlefight/matches/0601.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100523065248/http://archive.gamespy.com/titlefight/matches/0601.shtml |archive-date=May 23, 2010 |access-date=February 22, 2008 |website=GameSpy}} Gamasutra gave it their Quantum Leap Award in the FPS category in 2006.{{Cite web |title=The Gamasutra Quantum Leap Awards: First-Person Shooters |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20060901/quantum_01.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511073515/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130249/the_gamasutra_quantum_leap_awards_.php?print=1 |archive-date=May 11, 2013 |access-date=September 3, 2006 |website=Gamasutra}} GameSpot inducted Half-Life into their Greatest Games of All Time list in May 2007.{{Cite web |last=Rorie |first=Matthew |date=May 18, 2007 |title=Greatest Games of All Time: Half-Life |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/greatest-games-of-all-time-half-life/1100-6171044/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150119235122/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/greatest-games-of-all-time-half-life/1100-6171044/ |archive-date=January 19, 2015 |access-date=March 31, 2016 |website=GameSpot}} In 2007, IGN described Half-Life as one of the most influential video games,{{Cite web |date=December 11, 2007 |title=Top 10 Most Influential Games |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2007/12/11/igns-top-10-most-influential-games?page=2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312131702/http://www.ign.com/articles/2007/12/11/igns-top-10-most-influential-games?page=2 |archive-date=March 12, 2017 |access-date=January 6, 2008 |website=IGN}} and in 2013 wrote that the history of the FPS genre "breaks down pretty cleanly into pre-Half-Life and post-Half-Life eras".{{Cite web |date=September 13, 2013 |title=Half-Life – #1 Top Shooters |url=http://ign.com/top/shooters/1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228203738/http://www.ign.com/top/shooters/1 |archive-date=February 28, 2014 |access-date=February 23, 2014 |website=IGN.com}} In 2021, the Guardian ranked Half-Life the third-greatest game of the 1990s, writing that it "helped write the rulebook for how games tell their stories without resorting to aping the conventions of film".{{Cite web |date=June 23, 2021 |title=The 15 greatest video games of the 1990s – ranked! |url=https://www.theguardian.com/games/2021/jun/23/the-15-greatest-video-games-of-the-1990s-ranked |access-date=June 23, 2021 |website=The Guardian |archive-date=June 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210623111353/https://www.theguardian.com/games/2021/jun/23/the-15-greatest-video-games-of-the-1990s-ranked |url-status=live }}

According to Newell, Half-Life was budgeted with the expectation of lifetime sales of around 180,000 copies. However, it was a surprise hit. In the United States, Half-Life debuted at #8 on PC Data's weekly PC game sales chart for the November 15–21 period, with an average retail price (ARP) of $49.{{Cite web |last=Mayer |first=Robert |date=December 9, 1998 |title=Deer Hunter II Returns to the Throne |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/016/013/pc_data_112198.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050406152939/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/016/013/pc_data_112198.html |archive-date=April 6, 2005 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=Computer Games Strategy Plus}} It rose to sixth place the following week,{{Cite web |date=December 9, 1998 |title=PC Data Best Sellers |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/98_12/09_pc_pcdata/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000614043550/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_12/09_pc_pcdata/index.html |archive-date=June 14, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=GameSpot}} before dropping to position 10 for the week ending December 5.{{Cite web |date=December 15, 1998 |title=Tiny Plastic Woman Beats on Half-Life |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/98_12/15_pc_chart/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000621170836/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_12/15_pc_chart/index.html |archive-date=June 21, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=GameSpot}} During the December 6–12 period, the game climbed back to sixth place; by this time, its ARP had dropped to $36.{{Cite web |date=December 22, 1998 |title=Barbie Holds PC Charts |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/98_12/22_pc_data/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000606230100/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_12/22_pc_data/index.html |archive-date=June 6, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=GameSpot}} It placed between sixth and eighth on PC Data's weekly charts through the end of December,{{Cite web |last=Fudge |first=James |date=January 8, 1999 |title=Deer Hunter 2 3D Tops Charts |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/016/133/pc_data_121398.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050407232432/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/016/133/pc_data_121398.html |archive-date=April 7, 2005 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=Computer Games Strategy Plus}}{{Cite web |date=January 8, 1999 |title=Deer Hunters Still on Top |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_01/08_pc_data/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000311205341/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_01/08_pc_data/index.html |archive-date=March 11, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=GameSpot}}{{Cite web |last=Mullen |first=Micheal |date=January 12, 1999 |title=Brood War Tops PC Data List |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_01/12_pc_pcdata/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000229134100/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_01/12_pc_pcdata/index.html |archive-date=February 29, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=GameSpot}} and its ARP rose back to $45 by the week ending January 2. PC Data declared Half-Life November's sixth-best-selling PC game in the United States,{{Cite web |last=Mayer |first=Robert |date=December 13, 1998 |title=November Belongs to Deer Hunter 2 3D |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/016/025/pc_data_november.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050406162520/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/016/025/pc_data_november.html |archive-date=April 6, 2005 |access-date=July 2, 2018 |website=Computer Games Strategy Plus}} a position it held for the month of December.{{Cite web |last=Ocampo |first=Jason |date=January 15, 1999 |title=Deer Hunter II Tops Charts |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/016/162/pc_data_december.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050502210227/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/016/162/pc_data_december.html |archive-date=May 2, 2005 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=Computer Games Strategy Plus}} While its US sales were below 100,000 copies by November 30,{{Cite news |last=Biederman |first=Christine |date=January 14, 1999 |title=Stormy weather |work=Dallas Observer |url=http://www.dallasobserver.com/1999-01-14/news/stormy-weather/all/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003002653/http://www.dallasobserver.com/1999-01-14/news/stormy-weather/all/ |archive-date=October 3, 2012}} by 1999 it had sold 212,173 copies and earned revenues of $8.6 million in the United States by the end of 1998.{{Cite journal |date=April 1999 |title=The Numbers Game |journal=PC Gamer US |volume=6 |issue=4 |page=50}}

In January 1999, Half-Life debuted at #3 on Chart-Track's PC game sales rankings for the United Kingdom,{{Cite journal |last=McNicholas |first=Conor |date=February 1999 |title=Charts; The ChartTrack Top 10 |journal=PC Zone |issue=73 |page=30}} and remained in PC Data's weekly top 10 for the entire month, peaking at #4.{{Cite web |last=Fudge, James |date=January 19, 1999 |title=StarCraft: Brood Wars Tops Charts, Baldur's Gate Close Behind |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/016/180/pc_data_010399.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050406153004/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/016/180/pc_data_010399.html |archive-date=April 6, 2005 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=Computer Games Strategy Plus}}{{Cite web |date=January 27, 1999 |title=Brood Wars Rules the Week's Charts |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_01/27_pc_pcweek/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000308200651/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_01/27_pc_pcweek/index.html |archive-date=March 8, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=GameSpot}}{{Cite web |date=February 2, 1999 |title=Baldur's Gate in the Lead |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_02/02_pc_pcdata/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000226140236/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_02/02_pc_pcdata/index.html |archive-date=February 26, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=GameSpot}}{{Cite web |date=February 9, 1999 |title=SimCity 3000: Top Seller |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_02/09_pc_pcdata/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000308051520/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_02/09_pc_pcdata/index.html |archive-date=March 8, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=GameSpot}}{{Cite web |date=February 18, 1999 |title=SimCity 3000 On Top |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_02/18_pc_pcdata/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000229020727/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_02/18_pc_pcdata/index.html |archive-date=February 29, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=GameSpot}} By January 19, after two full months of availability, global sales of Half-Life surpassed 500,000 units.{{Cite web |last=Baker, M. Sharon |date=February 26, 1999 |title=A Charmed Half-Life |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/1999/03/01/smallb1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030219095208/https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/1999/03/01/smallb1.html |archive-date=February 19, 2003 |website=Puget Sound Business Journal}} In the United States, it was the fifth-best-selling PC game for the month of January.{{Cite web |last=Mullen, Micheal |date=February 16, 1999 |title=January's Top Sellers |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_02/16_pc_pcdata/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000607002432/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_02/16_pc_pcdata/index.html |archive-date=June 7, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=GameSpot}} On PC Data's weekly charts, it rose to #2 from February 7–20, with an ARP of $35.{{Cite web |last=Fudge, James |date=February 23, 1999 |title=Sim City 3000 Hangs Tough at Top Spot |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/018/011/pc_data_020799.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050407232438/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/018/011/pc_data_020799.html |archive-date=April 7, 2005 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=Computer Games Strategy Plus}}{{Cite web |date=March 10, 1999 |title=SimCity Packs 'Em In |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_03/10_pc_pcdata/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001119001100/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_03/10_pc_pcdata/index.html |archive-date=November 19, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=GameSpot}} Holding a position in the weekly top 10 for the rest of February,{{Cite web |date=March 16, 1999 |title=SimCity 3000 Still Top Seller |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_03/16_pc_stats/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000303021228/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_03/16_pc_stats/index.html |archive-date=March 3, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=GameSpot}} it climbed to fourth for the month.{{Cite web |date=March 15, 1999 |title=Sim City 3000 Takes February |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_03/15_pc_pcdata/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991108210548/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_03/15_pc_pcdata/index.html |archive-date=November 8, 1999 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=GameSpot}} The game remained in PC Data's weekly top 10 until the week of March 21{{Cite web |date=March 25, 1999 |title=SimCity Still Number 1 |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_03/25_pc_pcdata/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000603050228/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_03/25_pc_pcdata/index.html |archive-date=June 3, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=GameSpot}}{{Cite web |date=April 5, 1999 |title=SimCity Beats Back EverQuest |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_04/05_pc_pcdata/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000619151850/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_04/05_pc_pcdata/index.html |archive-date=June 19, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=GameSpot}} and dropped to position 11 for March as a whole.{{Cite web |last=Fudge, James |date=April 16, 1999 |title=EA Tops Charts |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/019/039/pc_data_march99.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050407232621/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/019/039/pc_data_march99.html |archive-date=April 7, 2005 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=Computer Games Strategy Plus}} In the United Kingdom, it placed second in February—behind the debut of Baldur's Gate—and fifth in March.{{Cite journal |last=Shoemaker, Richie |date=March 1999 |title=Charts; The ChartTrack Top 10 |journal=PC Zone |issue=74 |page=74}}{{Cite journal |last=Shoemaker, Richie |date=May 1999 |title=Charts; The ChartTrack Top 10 |journal=PC Zone |issue=76 |page=26}} In April, it claimed #3 on Chart-Track's rankings and dropped to #16 on those of PC Data.{{Cite web |last=Fudge, James |date=May 17, 1999 |title=Civilization: Call To Power tops April chart |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/020/019/pc_data_april99.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050502210048/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/020/019/pc_data_april99.html |archive-date=May 2, 2005 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=Computer Games Strategy Plus}} On April 23, Sierra announced that global sales of Half-Life had reached almost 1 million copies.{{Cite press release |title=Sierra Studios to Deliver Best-Selling Half-Life to the Mac |date=April 23, 1999 |publisher=Sierra On-Line |location=Bellevue, Washington |url=http://www.sierrastudios.com:80/games/half-life/pressroom/macintosh.html |access-date=July 22, 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991009051045/http://www.sierrastudios.com/games/half-life/pressroom/macintosh.html |archive-date=October 9, 1999}}

After maintaining the 16th place for May in the US,{{Cite web |last=Fudge, James |date=June 15, 1999 |title=Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace Tops Monthly Chart |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/020/132/pc_data_may1999.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050502210101/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/020/132/pc_data_may1999.html |archive-date=May 2, 2005 |access-date=May 8, 2018 |website=Computer Games Strategy Plus}} Half-Life exited PC Data's monthly top 20 in June.{{Cite web |last=Fudge, James |date=July 20, 1999 |title=Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace Tops Monthly Chart |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/021/104/pc_data_june1999.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050407232755/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/021/104/pc_data_june1999.html |archive-date=April 7, 2005 |access-date=May 8, 2018 |website=Computer Games Strategy Plus}} Half-Life became the fifth-bestselling PC game of the first half of 1999 in the US.{{Cite web |last=IGN Staff |date=August 3, 1999 |title=And the Winners Are ... |url=http://pc.ign.com:80/news/9273.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000305180633/http://pc.ign.com/news/9273.html |archive-date=March 5, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=IGN}} Its domestic sales during 1999 reached 290,000 copies by the end of September.{{Cite journal |date=February 2000 |title=X-Tra; Death of the PC |journal=PC Accelerator |issue=18 |pages=100, 101}} During 1999, it was the fifth-best-selling PC game in the US, with sales of 445,123 copies. These sales brought in revenues of $16.6 million, the sixth-highest gross that year for a PC game in the US.{{Cite web |last=Fudge, James |date=January 19, 2000 |title=PC Data Top Selling PC Games for 1999 |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/025/147/pc_data_1999.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000817183027/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/025/147/pc_data_1999.html |archive-date=August 17, 2000 |website=Computer Games Strategy Plus}} The following year, it was the 16th-bestselling PC game in the US, selling another 286,593 copies and earning $8.98 million.{{Cite journal |date=April 2000 |title=Shake Your Money-Maker |journal=PC Gamer US |volume=7 |issue=4 |page=32}}

The PlayStation 2 version received a "Silver" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA),{{Cite web |title=ELSPA Sales Awards: Silver |url=http://www.elspa.com:80/?i=3942 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221154943/http://www.elspa.com/?i=3942 |archive-date=February 21, 2009 |website=Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association}} indicating sales of at least 100,000 copies in the United Kingdom.{{Cite web |last=Caoili, Eric |date=November 26, 2008 |title=ELSPA: Wii Fit, Mario Kart Reach Diamond Status In UK |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/112220/ELSPA_Wii_Fit_Mario_Kart_Reach_Diamond_Status_In_UK.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918063107/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/112220/ELSPA_Wii_Fit_Mario_Kart_Reach_Diamond_Status_In_UK.php |archive-date=September 18, 2017 |website=Gamasutra}} Half-Life{{'}}s global sales reached 2.5 million units by July 2001.{{Cite magazine |last=Price, Tom |date=July 2001 |title=Army of One |magazine=Computer Gaming World |issue=204 |pages=50–55}} Edge noted in 2003 that "a significant number of the 7.5m copies of the PC version were bought because the game offered such potential for community-driven expansion".{{Cite magazine |date=June 2003 |title=Prescreen focus: Half-Life 2 |magazine=Edge |issue=124 |pages=48–53}} As of November 16, 2004, eight million copies of the game had been sold,{{Cite news |last=Mike Musgrove |date=November 16, 2004 |title=Half-Life 2's Real Battle |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52849-2004Nov15.html?nav=rss_technology |url-status=live |access-date=February 28, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025083004/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52849-2004Nov15.html?nav=rss_technology |archive-date=October 25, 2012}} and by 2008, 9.3 million copies had been sold at retail.{{Cite web |last=Remo, Chris |author-link=Chris Remo |date=December 3, 2008 |title=Analysis: Valve's Lifetime Retail Sales For Half-Life, Counter-Strike Franchises |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=21319 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081221100835/http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=21319 |archive-date=December 21, 2008 |website=Gamasutra}} Guinness World Records awarded Half-Life the world record for Best-Selling First-Person Shooter of All Time (PC) in the Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008.{{Citation |title=Half-Life electronic game |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Half-Life-electronic-game |publisher=Brittanica}}

Half-Life was followed by an expansion pack, Opposing Force, on November 1, 1999,{{Cite web |title=Half-Life: Opposing Force |url=http://store.steampowered.com/app/50/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120050959/http://store.steampowered.com/app/50 |archive-date=November 20, 2008 |access-date=November 19, 2008 |website=Steam |publisher=Valve}} developed by Gearbox Software.{{Cite web |date=April 15, 1999 |title=Half-Life Expands |url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/067/067720p1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109050607/http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/04/16/half-life-expands |archive-date=November 9, 2012 |access-date=November 18, 2008 |website=IGN}} Players control Hazardous Environment Combat Unit (HECU) Corporal Adrian Shephard, who fights a new group of aliens called Race X and Black Ops units after being split from his team. Gearbox developed a second expansion pack, Blue Shift, in which players control Barney Calhoun, a security guard at Black Mesa, as he attempts to escape the facility. It was developed as a bonus campaign for the Dreamcast port of Half-Life,{{Cite web |last=Kirchgasler |first=Chris |date=July 24, 2000 |title=Half-Life Preview |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/half-life-preview/1100-2606931/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170826154009/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/half-life-preview/1100-2606931/ |archive-date=August 26, 2017 |access-date=March 31, 2016 |website=GameSpot}} but was released for Windows on June 12, 2001, after the port was canceled.{{Cite web |last=Satterfield |first=Shane |date=June 16, 2001 |title=Half-Life for the Dreamcast officially cancelled |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/half-life-for-the-dreamcast-officially-cancelled/1100-2776155/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916025446/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/half-life-for-the-dreamcast-officially-cancelled/1100-2776155/ |archive-date=September 16, 2016 |access-date=October 26, 2008 |website=GameSpot}}{{Cite web |title=Half-Life: Blue Shift |url=http://pc.ign.com/objects/016/016257.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613054330/http://pc.ign.com/objects/016/016257.html |archive-date=June 13, 2011 |access-date=October 26, 2008 |website=IGN}} Gearbox created a cooperative multiplayer expansion pack, Decay, exclusively for the PlayStation 2 port of Half-Life which is played through the perspectives of Gina Cross and Colette Green, two Black Mesa scientists.{{Cite web |last=Radcliffe |first=Doug |date=October 15, 2001 |title=Half-Life for PlayStation 2 Review |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/half-life-review/1900-2824623/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141123021523/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/half-life-review/1900-2824623/ |archive-date=November 23, 2014 |access-date=October 23, 2008 |website=GameSpot}}

Half-Life 2 was announced at E3 2003 and released in 2004. The player controls Freeman 20 years after the Black Mesa incident in the dystopian City 17, where he joins a rebellion against an alien regime. It was followed by the episodic sequels Half-Life 2: Episode One (2006) and Half-Life 2: Episode Two (2007).{{Cite web |last=Thorsen |first=Tor |date=May 24, 2006 |title=Half-Life 2: Episode One gold, Two dated, Three announced |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/half-life-2-episode-one-gold-two-dated-three-announced/1100-6151796/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131125150657/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/half-life-2-episode-one-gold-two-dated-three-announced/1100-6151796/ |archive-date=November 25, 2013 |access-date=April 27, 2007 |website=GameSpot}} After cancelling several other Half-Life projects, Valve released Half-Life: Alyx in 2020.{{Cite web |last=Hollister |first=Sean |date=November 21, 2019 |title=Half-Life: Alyx is officially coming March 2020, and here's your first look |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/21/20975423/half-life-alyx-vr-price-release-date-screenshots-trailer-valve-steam |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191121185303/https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/21/20975423/half-life-alyx-vr-price-release-date-screenshots-trailer-valve-steam |archive-date=November 21, 2019 |access-date=November 24, 2019 |website=The Verge |language=en}}

{{notelist}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Cite magazine |last=Whitley |first=Peter |date=April 1999 |title=Black mesa boogie |magazine=The Duelist |publisher=Wizards of the Coast |issue=36 |page=83}}

• {{Official website|https://www.half-life.com/en/halflife}}

{{Half-Life}}

{{Valve}}

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