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Half-Life 3 trademark listing was ‘likely a hoax’

Earlier in the week we reported that a trademark listing for Half-Life 3 was registered online via the Trade Marks and Designs Registrations Office of the European Union, sparking speculation that the long-awaited sequel was on Valve’s radar.

According to a recent post by Valvetime.net, the listing was a fake, indicated by its recent removal.

“We can now confirm that the ‘Half-Life 3’ trademark has been removed from the Trademarks and Design Registration Office of the European Union (OHIM) website,” the post reads.

“The entrant appears to have disappeared entirely after only being listed on the website database for little over a week, allowing us to identify that the trademark’s listing was more than likely a hoax intended to generate fake buzz for a game which is unlikely to appear for several years.”

The same entry goes on to suggest that a listing for Portal 3 made on October 2 could similarly be fake, but mentions that it has been “appropriately examined” by the OHIM, in contrast to the Half-Life 3 entry, which wasn’t.

Either way, listings such as these (even when found to be legitimate) don’t always confirm a game is in development or even being planned for. Until Valve makes an official announcement, it’s best to take Half-Life 3 news with a pinch of salt, as many likely have.

In other news, “Half-Life 3 confirmed” jokes are set to continue.

What’s your take on trademark listings? Sound off in the comments below.