Valve is doing a major media blitz for Half-Life Alyx . The company decided the best way to get people interested in the new VR game is to go ahead and offer up free Half-Life games. Until the new game launches in March 2020, people can go ahead and play the other entries in the series without paying a dime.
Now, you don’t actually get permanent free Half-Life games. This Valve Half-Life Alyx promotion is a free-to-play one. Up until the VR game launches, select titles will be free. You go to its page, click the play game button, and it will download to your library. Once the expiration date, which hasn’t yet been defined, arrives, your access is gone.
As for the games, they include both official titles you’d expect and unofficial surprises. Half-Life, Half-Life 2, Half-Life 2: Episode One, and Half-Life 2: Episode Two from Valve are all available. There’s also Team Fortress Classic for folks to play. As a twist, Gearbox Software’s Half-Life: Blue Shift and Opposing Force are both also here. These are two add-ons that offer optional scenarios.
Think of it as a good refresher. Half-Life Alyx is going to return people to the series’ world. Except this time, you are Alyx and are fighting the Combine. Everything is going on through her eyes, and you need to survive so you can get to Half-Life 2 . Going through the older games will be a good reminder of what you’re fighting for.
Source: Valve