Hopoo Games, the creative force behind the acclaimed Risk of Rain series, has embarked on an exciting new journey as key team members, including co-founders Duncan Drummond and Paul Morse, transition to roles at Valve.
Hopoo Games Joins Valve's Game Development Efforts
Studio on Indefinite Hiatus, Project Snail Put on Hold
In a significant shift, Hopoo Games, the original developers of Risk of Rain, have announced that several of their team members, including co-founders Duncan Drummond and Paul Morse, are joining Valve, renowned for iconic titles like Counter-Strike and Half-Life. This move was disclosed through a thread on X (formerly Twitter), leading to a temporary halt in Hopoo Games' ongoing projects, including their unannounced game, "Snail."
While it remains uncertain whether this transition is permanent, Drummond and Morse's LinkedIn profiles indicate that their roles at Hopoo Games remain active. "We're incredibly grateful to Valve for their partnerships over the last decade and are excited to contribute to their amazing titles. However, this means we must pause production on our unannounced game, 'Snail'," the studio stated. The announcement concluded with a heartfelt message, "sleep tight, Hopoo Games," signaling the halt in development on project Snail.
Since its founding in 2012 by Drummond and Morse, Hopoo Games has left a significant mark on the gaming industry with the launch of Risk of Rain, an action-packed roguelike set on an alien planet. The success continued with Risk of Rain 2 in 2019. In 2022, Hopoo Games sold the Risk of Rain IP to Gearbox, which has since taken the helm in developing the series, including the latest Risk of Rain 2: Seekers of the Storm DLC. Despite some criticism, Drummond expressed confidence in Gearbox's vision, stating on X that "Gearbox is heading in the right direction."
Valve's Deadlock in Early Access While Rumors of Half-Life 3 Spark Up
While the specifics of what Hopoo Games will be working on at Valve remain undisclosed, Valve's current high-profile project, the MOBA hero shooter "Deadlock," is progressing through its early access phase. Additionally, the persistent buzz around the potential development of Half-Life 3 has intensified, with speculation that Hopoo Games might be involved in crafting this long-awaited sequel.
The rumors gained traction following a recent update to a voice actor's portfolio, which briefly mentioned a mysterious "Project White Sands" linked to Valve. Although the project was swiftly removed from the portfolio, it reignited fan theories about Half-Life 3. As reported by Eurogamer, fans have theorized that "white sand" could be connected to Half-Life 3, with some noting that "White Sands is a park in New Mexico," correlating with the Black Mesa Research Facility in New Mexico, the setting for both the original Half-Life and the fan-made remake, Black Mesa.
