Another Gamescom has been and gone, and Half-Life 3 has once again failed to emerge.
It's hardly a surprise. Despite many attempts to drum up expectations for the constantly non-existent game, there was no sign of Valve announcing anything playable at this year's show.
The fact is that hopes of ever seeing the game have now dwindled to a dull roar, bouyed up only by the absurd levels of internet traffic afforded to basically any story about the title.
Indeed, it is now almost 10 years since Half-Life 2 emerged. After its own five year development the game went on to sell 12 million copies, and spawned several sequel "episodes" of which Half Life 3 (or Episode 3) was expected to be one.
Alas, it never happened. And while this year's Gamescom saw plenty of news involving Valve, including new details and uses of its Source 2 engine, the game itself remains elusive.
We recently covered Valve's most recent explanation for why the game does not exist elsewhere. But to comfort yourself in the face of this loss, check out this video tribute (above).