Happy 25th Birthday, Half-Life! November 18, 2023

Twenty-five years ago, the original Half-Life was released on PC, and gaming was never the same. Following its release, the First Person Shooter genre became more immersive, with a greater focus on atmosphere and story to guide the player rather than forcing players to navigate maze-like environments.

To celebrate the anniversary the guys at Valve have done three incredible things. First, Half-Life is free to purchase and play on STEAM (for a limited time). Second, a massive patch has just been released for the game, with new multiplayer maps, new character skins and integration with the game’s Uplink demo levels. This update is free for anyone who has the game purchased on Steam.

Finally, Valve has released this high-quality television-length documentary about the making of the game. It includes interviews with the original game developers, reference photos, and early footage of the game. If you’re a fan of Valve or Half-Life, you need to watch this!

Half-Life is out now on PC.