The acclaimed Risk of Rain series developers, Hopoo Games, have made a significant move. Key team members, including co-founders Duncan Drummond and Paul Morse, have transitioned to Valve.
Hopoo Games' Collaboration with Valve
Projects Paused, "Snail" on Hold
Hopoo Games announced on Twitter (now X) that several developers, including its co-founders, are joining Valve. This collaboration puts Hopoo Games' current projects, including the unannounced "Snail," on indefinite hold. While the nature of the collaboration remains unclear, both Drummond and Morse's LinkedIn profiles still list them as Hopoo Games employees, suggesting the studio itself continues to exist. The studio expressed gratitude for its past decade-long partnership with Valve and excitement for future work on Valve's projects. The announcement concluded with a playful "sleep tight, Hopoo Games," signaling the temporary suspension of "Snail's" development.
Established in 2012 by Drummond and Morse, Hopoo Games gained recognition with the original Risk of Rain, a popular roguelike action game. The sequel, Risk of Rain 2, followed in 2019. In 2022, Hopoo Games sold the Risk of Rain IP to Gearbox, which continues to develop the franchise. Drummond recently expressed confidence in Gearbox's handling of the series on Twitter (X).
Valve's "Deadlock" and Half-Life 3 Speculation
Although the specifics of Hopoo Games' involvement at Valve are undisclosed, Valve's current focus, the MOBA hero shooter Deadlock (currently in early access), is a possibility. However, the news has fueled renewed speculation regarding a potential Half-Life 3.
This speculation stems from a now-removed entry in a voice actor's portfolio mentioning a Valve project codenamed "Project White Sands." This sparked fan theories connecting "White Sands" to Half-Life 3, particularly due to the real-world location's association with Black Mesa, the setting of the original Half-Life and its fan remake. Eurogamer highlighted this fan theory, noting the connection between "White Sands" and the New Mexico location of Black Mesa Research Facility.
