Hopoo Games Developers Transition to Valve: Project Snail Halted

Hopoo Games, renowned creators of the Risk of Rain series, have announced a significant shift in their operations. Key personnel, including co-founders Duncan Drummond and Paul Morse, are joining Valve. This transition has resulted in an indefinite hiatus for Hopoo Games, placing their upcoming project, "Snail," on hold.

The announcement, made via Twitter (X), confirmed the move to Valve but didn't specify the duration or nature of the collaboration. While Drummond and Morse's LinkedIn profiles still list their Hopoo Games roles, the studio stated they are ceasing production on "Snail." They expressed gratitude for their decade-long partnership with Valve and excitement about contributing to future Valve titles.

Established in 2012, Hopoo Games achieved widespread acclaim with the original Risk of Rain and its 2019 sequel, Risk of Rain 2. Following the 2022 sale of the Risk of Rain IP to Gearbox, Hopoo Games has now embarked on this new venture. Drummond voiced his confidence in Gearbox's continued development of the franchise.

Valve's Deadlock and the Persistent Half-Life 3 Speculation

Neither Valve nor Hopoo have revealed the specifics of their collaboration. However, the news has fueled renewed speculation about a potential Half-Life 3. Valve's current major project, the MOBA hero shooter Deadlock, remains in early access.

This speculation is further intensified by a now-removed entry from a voice actor's portfolio mentioning a Valve project codenamed "Project White Sands." This sparked fan theories connecting "White Sands" to Half-Life 3, drawing parallels to the Black Mesa Research Facility in New Mexico, a key location in the Half-Life series. Eurogamer highlighted this fan speculation, noting the potential connection between "White Sands" and the Half-Life universe.