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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Only during a past promotion. Valve announced on January 21, 2020, that Half-Life games would be free to play on Steam until Half-Life: Alyx launched on March 23, 2020. The offer has ended; the announcement did not promise players permanent ownership.
Are Half-Life games free on Steam now?
No—not under the promotion described in the headline. Valve’s January 21, 2020 announcement offered free-to-play access to Steam users only until Half-Life: Alyx launched. Valve lists Alyx’s release date as March 23, 2020, marking the end of that window.
The announcement describes temporary access, not a permanent license. It does not establish the present price or account entitlements for any individual game, so check each title’s current Steam listing for its availability in your region.
Which games did the offer name?
Valve said the promotion covered “all games in the Half-Life Series” and linked these four titles in the announcement:
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- Half-Life
- Half-Life 2
- Half-Life 2: Episode One
- Half-Life 2: Episode Two
Those are the titles explicitly linked in Valve’s notice; its wording does not provide a complete list of every franchise spin-off.
Why did Valve run the promotion?
Valve tied the offer to Half-Life: Alyx, describing it as a way for players to revisit the earlier games before the new installment. The company said Alyx takes place before the events of Half-Life 2 and its episodes, while sharing characters and story elements.
Rank #2
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.“The Half-Life: Alyx team believes that the best way to enjoy the new game is to play through the old ones, especially Half-Life 2 and the episodes, so we want to make that as easy as possible.”
— Valve’s Half-Life: Alyx team, January 21, 2020
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- Choose an awesome vacation: take a ski trip, a safari, or go snorkeling in a coral Reef. Choose an awesome vacation from adventurous to relaxing
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Does playing Alyx require a VR headset?
Yes. Valve’s Steam page for Half-Life: Alyx identifies it as a VR game and says a VR headset is required. That requirement applies to Alyx, not the older games in the 2020 promotion.
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- A TWIST ON THE CLASSIC BOARD GAME: Do you remember playing The Game of Life game? The Game of Life: Quarter Life Crisis board game is a hilarious adult twist on the classic gameplay
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
