'Half-Life 2: Episode 3' Maps Leaked: Legit or Not?

Fans of the game "Half-Life 2" are currently busy debating whether the leaked maps of what is supposedly the next episode of the first-person shooter video game are legitimate or not.

Some of the people in the gaming community were thrown into chaos when it was revealed that Valve Corporation had actually started the development of "Half-Life 2: Episode Three." Leaked files reportedly containing assets that were allegedly part of the canceled episode emerged, as well as the never-before-seen map files for "Half-Life 2." One of the maps is said to be of Ravenholm, the supposed setting for "Episode Three."

"This map appears to be from the cancelled 'Half-Life 2' episode which was being developed by Junction Point Studios in late 2005. It takes place in a snow-themed version of Ravenholm which includes small puzzles, scripted sequences, and fights. This game is not related to Arkane Studios' cancelled Episode Four, also known as Return to Ravenholm, which would have also take place in the town," reports ValveTime. 

In 2006, the game's developer announced that there is going to be a continuation for the first-person shooter game, but no updates have been released since then.

According to Polygon, the leaked files appear to be legit. Gautam Babbar, a Valve artist and designer, reportedly created one of the maps. He is said to have been with the company for more than a decade. Babbar also worked with the creation of both "Half-Life 2: Episode One" and "Half-Life 2: Episode Two."

Two years ago, Warren Spector of Junction Point Studios reportedly admitted that they were working on a project with Valve. In an interview with Game Informer, he revealed that it was an episode that would "fill in one of the gaps" in the "Half-Life" storyline. Spector and his team formally ended their work with Valve when Disney Interactive Studios acquired Junction Point in 2007.