Half-Life 3 may remain a myth but more evidence of a Left 4 Dead 3 is circulating online thanks to Counter Strike 2.

It’s been a long running joke that Valve can’t count up to three, as evidenced by the lack of three-quels to its most beloved games. Half-Life 3 is the most famous example, but the same can be said for Portal and Left 4 Dead as well.

While new sequels for Half-Life and Portal seem nothing but a pipe dream, there has been growing speculation that Valve has a Left 4 Dead 3 in development.

References to Left 4 Dead 3 were recently spotted in the same executables that hinted to the existence of Counter Strike 2. Now, with Counter Strike 2 proven real and already in beta, dataminers have dug through its files and found another mention of Left 4 Dead 3.

Unfortunately, besides a name and a ‘version 2’ descriptor, the rest of the files don’t reveal anything concrete.

The project’s ‘severity’ is listed as ‘high’ whatever that means and, amusingly, its ‘priority’ is labelled as ‘none.’ Whether this actually means that Left 4 Dead 3 isn’t a priority at Valve isn’t clear, but it’s probably not meant in that sense.

The fact that two references to it have been found in the space of a couple of weeks does suggest that Valve is working on a new Left 4 Dead. Plus, the company has hidden the existence of new projects within the files of other games before.

A datamine of Aperture Desk Job from last year suggested that a sequel to Half-Life: Alyx is in the works, as well as something called Citadel, a first person shooter crossed with a real-time strategy game.

Resident Evil 4 remake is being review bombed for being too woke

New Nintendo Switch 2 rumour claims 2023 launch – as powerful as PS4

Fortnite Spring Breakout: how to give a hired specialist a command

It’s worth remembering that in December 2019 there were claims of a Left 4 Dead VR game being in development, but Valve denied them just a month later, even calling the then current Left 4 Dead rumours ‘misinformation.’

‘We did briefly explore some Left 4 Dead next gen opportunities a few years ago. But we are absolutely not working on anything Left 4 Dead related now, and haven’t for years,’ it told IGN in a January 2020 statement.

‘It’s clear some people are having fun creating misinformation to spin up the community and other outlets. Unfortunately, for now a new Left 4 Dead game is not something we’re working on.’

That’s not to say plans haven’t changed in the last couple of years, or that they weren’t being economical with the truth, so fans will have to wait and see if Valve refutes these newest rumours too.

Email [email protected], leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter.

MORE : Back 4 Blood review – Left 4 Dead reanimated

MORE : Counter-Strike 2 surprise reveal drops with three new trailers

MORE : Counter Strike 2 already suffers from cheaters and beta scams

Follow Metro Gaming on Twitter and email us at [email protected]

To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here.

For more stories like this, check our Gaming page.

Sign up to all the exclusive gaming content, latest releases before they're seen on the site.