"Half Life" is a title that any gamer will recognize. The game dates back to the late 90's, with the first rendition being released in 1998. The sequel to the popular game then came in 2004. And now, over a decade later, there has yet to be an official announcement for "Half Life 3."

The third installment has been in the rumor mill for quite some time now, and it seems like a new speculation surfaces each year—the latest of which has to do with its intended release date. According to reports, "Half Life 3" may be pushed back all the way to 2018.

Even though Valve, the company behind the game, has not even confirmed a "Half Life 3" to be in the making, it has not stopped fans from speculating. Some of these speculations have been fueled by little things that fans have taken to mean as "hints" from Valve. One of them came in the form of a text file titled "HL3" that was included in the "DoTA 2 Reborn" update. "DoTA 2" is included in Valve's long list of popular and successful games.

Another rumor states that the game might be VR-ready once it rolls around. Some have speculated that its virtual reality capability is what is causing the delay, which is quite reasonable, seeing as the VR realm is somewhat new to the world of gaming.

One other popular rumored contributor to its delay is the loss of a mind behind the game. Marc Laidlaw, who was responsible for the first two "Half Life" installments, left Valve.

An announcement is reportedly expected to be made during the Electronic Entertainment Expo or E3 convention coming next year.

Since "Half Life" is a franchise that has garnered a loyal fan following, it is understandable how much anticipation and excitement is poured over the rumored sequel. However, since these are all still unconfirmed rumors, it is best if fans take the news with a grain of salt.