Both hardcore fans and industry followers are in agreement that topping the list of much-anticipated sequels in the gaming industry is "Half-Life 3." The title, although remaining unconfirmed, already achieved a near-mythical status that every year, speculations about the third installment keep on popping up online. However, as the years go by, it seems that the "Half-Life 3" release becomes more unclear.

According to the latest rumors, developer Valve has pushed "Half Life 3" even further into the shadows as the company is reportedly pushing for a third installment of another franchise instead.

Master Herald mentioned that with the spate of zombie apocalypse-related genres taking flight, Valve has shifted its focus to "Left 4 Dead 3." While concrete details regarding its development are yet to come out, speculations about its gameplay, plot, and characters are already out online.

Apparently, "Left 4 Dead 3" will serve as a prequel to the second installment, taking place before the events in "Left 4 Dead 2." It was also reported by Parent Herald that the new title will include at least three new playable characters.

As for "Half-Life 3," it was rumored that even before Valve shifted gears toward its zombie apocalypse franchise, it was already giving the "Half-Life" series controlled attention. An earlier report from Metro UK said that it will be a long time before fans will see "Half-Life 3" take off, as there were only 10 people reportedly working on the title. It was also mentioned that "Half-Life 3" was not a priority at the moment since Valve has been enjoying successes from other company franchises like "Dota 2" and "Team Fortress 2."

While the fate of "Half-Life 3" remains unconfirmed, fans are expecting that Valve will somehow come out with details in the future. Other than indirect responses and otherwise "no comment" answers, the company has remained silent on the issue.