Half-Life 2 is Free on 20th Anniversary With Better Graphics

Valve is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Half-Life 2 with a significant update.

The update includes integrated Steam Workshop support, bug fixes, restored content, new graphics options, and improved gamepad controls. You can also grab the game for free on Steam until November 18th, after which it will return to its regular price of $9.99.

The Episode One and Episode Two expansions are now bundled with the base game, accessible directly from the Half-Life 2 menu. You will progress seamlessly to the next expansion upon completing the previous one. Modding is also streamlined, with Steam Workshop access available within the game’s Extras menu.

If you don’t care for the new graphics or are simply in for some nostalgia, you can even opt for the original launch-day blood and fire effects. Gamepad controls have also been updated to align with last year’s Half-Life 1 anniversary update.

For those who prefer the pre-update version, Valve offers access to a “Pre-20th Anniversary Build” through a public beta branch named “steam_legacy.”

Just like Half-Life 1’s 25th anniversary celebration, Valve has also released a documentary for Half-Life 2 which is completely free to watch on YouTube. Here is what the description says about it:

We’ve gotten members of the HL2 team back to talk about the game’s development, how we almost ran out of money, what it was like when we were hacked, what happened when we were sued by our publisher, the birthplace of Steam, and much more.

Alongside the documentary, Valve has released videos of early Half-Life 2 demos, including one intended for E3 2002 but ultimately withheld. The game also features 3.5 hours of new developer commentary.

Furthermore, an expanded second edition of Raising the Bar, the book chronicling the game’s development, is in the works. This edition will include the Half-Life 2 development story, previously unseen concept art from Episode One and Episode Two, and concepts for the unrealized third episode. The book is expected to be available in 2025.