Key members of Hopoo Games, the creators of the acclaimed Risk of Rain series, including co-founders Duncan Drummond and Paul Morse, have joined Valve. This significant move has prompted Hopoo Games to temporarily halt all current projects, including the unannounced title "Snail."
Hopoo Games' Transition to Valve
The announcement, made via a Twitter (X) thread, confirms the departure of several key Hopoo Games developers to Valve, the renowned studio behind Counter-Strike and Half-Life. While the nature of this transition – temporary or permanent – remains unclear, both Drummond and Morse's LinkedIn profiles still list them as Hopoo Games co-founders. The studio expressed gratitude for their decade-long partnership with Valve and excitement for their future collaborations. However, this collaboration necessitates a pause on "Snail's" development.
Risk of Rain's Future and Gearbox
Hopoo Games, founded in 2012 by Drummond and Morse, achieved significant success with the Risk of Rain series. Following the 2022 sale of the IP to Gearbox, Gearbox has continued development, recently releasing the Risk of Rain 2: Seekers of the Storm DLC. Despite some negative reception to the DLC, Drummond voiced confidence in Gearbox's ongoing stewardship of the franchise.
Speculation Mounts: Half-Life 3 and Project White Sands
While Valve and Hopoo remain tight-lipped about the specifics of their collaboration, the timing coincides with ongoing speculation surrounding a potential Half-Life 3. This speculation intensified after a voice actor briefly listed a mysterious "Project White Sands" linked to Valve on their portfolio, before promptly removing it. This fueled fan theories connecting "White Sands" to Half-Life 3, drawing parallels between the name and the Black Mesa Research Facility featured prominently in the Half-Life series. Meanwhile, Valve's Deadlock, a hero shooter currently in early access, continues development. The addition of experienced developers from Hopoo Games only adds fuel to the already fervent anticipation surrounding these projects.
