Key members of Hopoo Games, creators of the acclaimed Risk of Rain series, including co-founders Duncan Drummond and Paul Morse, have joined Valve's game development team. This significant move has placed Hopoo Games' current projects, including the unannounced "Snail," on indefinite hold.

Hopoo Games' Transition to Valve

The studio announced the transition via Twitter (X), expressing gratitude for their decade-long partnership with Valve and excitement for their future contributions. While the nature of their involvement remains undisclosed, Drummond and Morse's LinkedIn profiles suggest their roles at Hopoo Games are ongoing, implying a potential collaboration rather than a complete acquisition. The statement explicitly confirmed the suspension of work on "Snail."

Established in 2012, Hopoo Games achieved recognition with the original Risk of Rain, a successful roguelike. The sequel, Risk of Rain 2, followed in 2019. In 2022, they sold the Risk of Rain IP to Gearbox Software, who continue to develop the franchise. Drummond expressed confidence in Gearbox's handling of the series.

Fueling Half-Life 3 Speculation

While Valve and Hopoo remain tight-lipped about the collaboration's specifics, the news has reignited speculation surrounding Half-Life 3. Valve's current major project, the MOBA hero shooter Deadlock, is in early access. The timing coincides with renewed rumors about Half-Life 3, fueled by a now-removed entry in a voice actor's portfolio referencing a "Project White Sands" linked to Valve. This cryptic reference, noted by Eurogamer, has sparked fan theories connecting "White Sands" to Half-Life 3, drawing parallels between "White Sands" (a New Mexico park) and Black Mesa, the setting of the original Half-Life.