Valve's groundbreaking shooter, Half-Life, celebrates its 25th anniversary with a special update on Steam. Gamers can expect refreshed visuals, including higher resolutions, as well as Steam Networking support and controller compatibility, with additional widescreen options and numerous bug fixes and balance tweaks. For a limited time, players can even download Half-Life for free until November 20, 19:00. Furthermore, the game now includes Half-Life Uplink, a mini-campaign previously delivered on CD-ROM with magazines, and introduces four new multiplayer maps: Contamination, Pool Party, Rocket Frenzy, and Disposal.

Recognized as one of the most influential first-person shooters ever, Half-Life released on November 19, 1998. It skillfully blends tight shooting mechanics with an immersive narrative and a cohesive game world where players, as scientist Gordon Freeman, must survive a catastrophic experiment gone wrong.

In honor of the occasion, Valve and Secret Tape have released a one-hour documentary detailing the making of Half-Life, which includes insights from Valve's Gabe Newell who discusses game development and release strategies, famously quoting "A late game is only late until it ships, but a bad game is bad forever."

The Half-Life anniversary celebrations extend online with an official website launched to commemorate the game's long-standing legacy and impact on the gaming industry and community.