Valve is offering the complete Half-Life 2 experience for free on Steam

If you haven’t tried Half-Life 2 yet, now is an excellent opportunity to experience this iconic first-person shooter. To mark the 20th anniversary of Half-Life 2, Valve has made the game free on Steam until November 18th.

The updated version of Half-Life 2 includes content from the Episode 1 and Episode 2 expansions. Moreover, it now supports Steam Workshop, which allows players to access numerous mods and entirely new campaigns created by the community.

Additionally, there’s a brand-new documentary produced with Secret Tape, who also created one for the 25th anniversary of Half-Life 1.

With the recent 20th anniversary update, Half-Life 2 has received numerous visual enhancements. For instance, there is improved support for high-resolution displays. In addition, shadow quality has been enhanced, and radial fog has been introduced in the game. Other adjustments have improved support for ultra-wide displays and resolved various graphical issues.

To claim your free copy of Half-Life 2, simply log into Steam and access the game here. Keep in mind that Valve’s other Half-Life titles are significantly discounted on Steam in celebration of Half-Life 2’s 20th anniversary. Not only are Valve’s games on sale, but fan-made Half-Life titles, such as BLACK MESA (the fan remake of Half-Life), also have large discounts.

Valve is preparing a new edition of the Raising the Bar book, set to release in 2025, which will delve into the making of Half-Life 2 and will complete the narrative for the episodes. This updated version will include "never-before-seen concept art from Episode One and Episode Two, along with concepts and experiments for the third episode that never materialized."

By redeeming a free copy of Half-Life 2 now, you'll be able to play Orbifold Studios’ Half Life 2 RTX mod when it becomes available on Steam. And as always, remember to use our comparison tool to find the best deal for your next favorite game.