The Game Census
Half-Life cover art

Half-Life

Valve · 1998-11-19

Steam

Action

Franchise: Half-Life · Modes: Single player, Multiplayer

Releases: Nov 19, 1998 (PC (Microsoft Windows)), Feb 14, 2013 (Linux), Feb 14, 2013 (Mac)

Named Game of the Year by over 50 publications, Valve's debut title blends action and adventure with award-winning technology to create a frighteningly realistic world where players must think to survive. Also includes an exciting multiplayer mode that allows you to play against friends and enemies around the world.

720
playing now
96%
positive of 164k reviews
Overwhelmingly Positive
steam rating
10,000,000–20,000,000
owners (SteamSpy est.)
101
twitch viewers (latest)
80/100
critic score (1 outlets, IGDB)
88/100
IGDB user rating (2910 ratings)
12h
to beat · rushed 7.1h · completionist 19h
platinum
deck/linux tier (ProtonDB)
$9.99
steam price (US)

720 players in-game as of 2026-08-30 00:00 UTC (census sample)

Half-Life is a 1998 first-person shooter (FPS) game developed by Valve Corporation and published by Sierra Studios for Windows. It was Valve's debut product and the first game in the Half-Life series. The player controls Gordon Freeman, a theoretical physicist who must escape from the Black Mesa Research Facility after it is overrun by aliens following a disastrous scientific experiment. Its gameplay consists of combat, exploration and puzzles.

Trailer

Half-Life trailer thumbnail

Half-Life (1998) - Official Trailer

≈1,000,000 YouTube results for this game's trailer search

Health check

Healthy
  • · 720 players in-game at the last census sample.
  • · 9,457 reviews in the last 8 weeks (~1,182/week).
  • · Review velocity up 32% vs the prior 8 weeks.
  • · Top 2% of 10,791 Action games in the census by review count.

Health tier since 2026-08-29

Estimated sales: 6.6M–13M copies

Review-multiple estimate from 163,757 total reviews — how this is computed.

All-time low: $0.99 at Steam (2017-06-22)via IsThereAnyDeal

12-month high $9.99 · on sale 6 of 12 observed days (census price snapshots)

Review momentum

PositiveNegative
7.2k7.2k20182026Week of 2018-01-01: 536 positiveWeek of 2018-01-01: 24 negativeWeek of 2018-02-01: 399 positiveWeek of 2018-02-01: 8 negativeWeek of 2018-03-01: 304 positiveWeek of 2018-03-01: 16 negativeWeek of 2018-04-01: 243 positiveWeek of 2018-04-01: 9 negativeWeek of 2018-05-01: 278 positiveWeek of 2018-05-01: 15 negativeWeek of 2018-06-01: 399 positiveWeek of 2018-06-01: 23 negativeWeek of 2018-07-01: 488 positiveWeek of 2018-07-01: 41 negativeWeek of 2018-08-01: 226 positiveWeek of 2018-08-01: 20 negativeWeek of 2018-09-01: 186 positiveWeek of 2018-09-01: 9 negativeWeek of 2018-10-01: 158 positiveWeek of 2018-10-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2018-11-01: 1,216 positiveWeek of 2018-11-01: 12 negativeWeek of 2018-12-01: 299 positiveWeek of 2018-12-01: 15 negativeWeek of 2019-01-01: 350 positiveWeek of 2019-01-01: 12 negativeWeek of 2019-02-01: 283 positiveWeek of 2019-02-01: 17 negativeWeek of 2019-03-01: 226 positiveWeek of 2019-03-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2019-04-01: 164 positiveWeek of 2019-04-01: 10 negativeWeek of 2019-05-01: 196 positiveWeek of 2019-05-01: 11 negativeWeek of 2019-06-01: 1,159 positiveWeek of 2019-06-01: 16 negativeWeek of 2019-07-01: 1,387 positiveWeek of 2019-07-01: 41 negativeWeek of 2019-08-01: 259 positiveWeek of 2019-08-01: 10 negativeWeek of 2019-09-01: 201 positiveWeek of 2019-09-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2019-10-01: 322 positiveWeek of 2019-10-01: 13 negativeWeek of 2019-11-01: 1,698 positiveWeek of 2019-11-01: 38 negativeWeek of 2019-12-01: 1,817 positiveWeek of 2019-12-01: 49 negativeWeek of 2020-01-01: 1,171 positiveWeek of 2020-01-01: 48 negativeWeek of 2020-02-01: 681 positiveWeek of 2020-02-01: 26 negativeWeek of 2020-03-01: 1,239 positiveWeek of 2020-03-01: 43 negativeWeek of 2020-04-01: 1,399 positiveWeek of 2020-04-01: 43 negativeWeek of 2020-05-01: 946 positiveWeek of 2020-05-01: 42 negativeWeek of 2020-06-01: 1,015 positiveWeek of 2020-06-01: 31 negativeWeek of 2020-07-01: 1,594 positiveWeek of 2020-07-01: 66 negativeWeek of 2020-08-01: 873 positiveWeek of 2020-08-01: 41 negativeWeek of 2020-09-01: 670 positiveWeek of 2020-09-01: 27 negativeWeek of 2020-10-01: 741 positiveWeek of 2020-10-01: 13 negativeWeek of 2020-11-01: 1,693 positiveWeek of 2020-11-01: 45 negativeWeek of 2020-12-01: 1,684 positiveWeek of 2020-12-01: 52 negativeWeek of 2021-01-01: 1,820 positiveWeek of 2021-01-01: 60 negativeWeek of 2021-02-01: 1,110 positiveWeek of 2021-02-01: 35 negativeWeek of 2021-03-01: 1,018 positiveWeek of 2021-03-01: 30 negativeWeek of 2021-04-01: 907 positiveWeek of 2021-04-01: 40 negativeWeek of 2021-05-01: 903 positiveWeek of 2021-05-01: 39 negativeWeek of 2021-06-01: 1,097 positiveWeek of 2021-06-01: 42 negativeWeek of 2021-07-01: 1,756 positiveWeek of 2021-07-01: 72 negativeWeek of 2021-08-01: 990 positiveWeek of 2021-08-01: 58 negativeWeek of 2021-09-01: 796 positiveWeek of 2021-09-01: 36 negativeWeek of 2021-10-01: 608 positiveWeek of 2021-10-01: 31 negativeWeek of 2021-11-01: 1,236 positiveWeek of 2021-11-01: 41 negativeWeek of 2021-12-01: 1,444 positiveWeek of 2021-12-01: 55 negativeWeek of 2022-01-01: 1,534 positiveWeek of 2022-01-01: 74 negativeWeek of 2022-02-01: 1,108 positiveWeek of 2022-02-01: 48 negativeWeek of 2022-03-01: 783 positiveWeek of 2022-03-01: 39 negativeWeek of 2022-04-01: 644 positiveWeek of 2022-04-01: 27 negativeWeek of 2022-05-01: 684 positiveWeek of 2022-05-01: 22 negativeWeek of 2022-06-01: 952 positiveWeek of 2022-06-01: 39 negativeWeek of 2022-07-01: 1,365 positiveWeek of 2022-07-01: 62 negativeWeek of 2022-08-01: 1,244 positiveWeek of 2022-08-01: 38 negativeWeek of 2022-09-01: 604 positiveWeek of 2022-09-01: 43 negativeWeek of 2022-10-01: 593 positiveWeek of 2022-10-01: 27 negativeWeek of 2022-11-01: 1,596 positiveWeek of 2022-11-01: 50 negativeWeek of 2022-12-01: 1,807 positiveWeek of 2022-12-01: 100 negativeWeek of 2023-01-01: 1,860 positiveWeek of 2023-01-01: 100 negativeWeek of 2023-02-01: 990 positiveWeek of 2023-02-01: 48 negativeWeek of 2023-03-01: 1,533 positiveWeek of 2023-03-01: 67 negativeWeek of 2023-04-01: 1,115 positiveWeek of 2023-04-01: 47 negativeWeek of 2023-05-01: 933 positiveWeek of 2023-05-01: 63 negativeWeek of 2023-06-01: 900 positiveWeek of 2023-06-01: 51 negativeWeek of 2023-07-01: 2,237 positiveWeek of 2023-07-01: 110 negativeWeek of 2023-08-01: 1,107 positiveWeek of 2023-08-01: 70 negativeWeek of 2023-09-01: 1,573 positiveWeek of 2023-09-01: 82 negativeWeek of 2023-10-01: 1,036 positiveWeek of 2023-10-01: 62 negativeWeek of 2023-11-01: 7,220 positiveWeek of 2023-11-01: 179 negativeWeek of 2023-12-01: 2,041 positiveWeek of 2023-12-01: 99 negativeWeek of 2024-01-01: 1,615 positiveWeek of 2024-01-01: 67 negativeWeek of 2024-02-01: 965 positiveWeek of 2024-02-01: 35 negativeWeek of 2024-03-01: 1,296 positiveWeek of 2024-03-01: 50 negativeWeek of 2024-04-01: 948 positiveWeek of 2024-04-01: 43 negativeWeek of 2024-05-01: 802 positiveWeek of 2024-05-01: 39 negativeWeek of 2024-06-01: 1,010 positiveWeek of 2024-06-01: 91 negativeWeek of 2024-07-01: 1,511 positiveWeek of 2024-07-01: 68 negativeWeek of 2024-08-01: 1,038 positiveWeek of 2024-08-01: 47 negativeWeek of 2024-09-01: 739 positiveWeek of 2024-09-01: 37 negativeWeek of 2024-10-01: 682 positiveWeek of 2024-10-01: 29 negativeWeek of 2024-11-01: 3,338 positiveWeek of 2024-11-01: 124 negativeWeek of 2024-12-01: 2,226 positiveWeek of 2024-12-01: 85 negativeWeek of 2025-01-01: 1,369 positiveWeek of 2025-01-01: 61 negativeWeek of 2025-02-01: 841 positiveWeek of 2025-02-01: 48 negativeWeek of 2025-03-01: 1,111 positiveWeek of 2025-03-01: 48 negativeWeek of 2025-04-01: 702 positiveWeek of 2025-04-01: 34 negativeWeek of 2025-05-01: 731 positiveWeek of 2025-05-01: 27 negativeWeek of 2025-06-01: 860 positiveWeek of 2025-06-01: 47 negativeWeek of 2025-07-01: 1,104 positiveWeek of 2025-07-01: 65 negativeWeek of 2025-08-01: 783 positiveWeek of 2025-08-01: 43 negativeWeek of 2025-09-01: 582 positiveWeek of 2025-09-01: 33 negativeWeek of 2025-10-01: 898 positiveWeek of 2025-10-01: 31 negativeWeek of 2025-11-01: 1,192 positiveWeek of 2025-11-01: 49 negativeWeek of 2025-12-01: 1,547 positiveWeek of 2025-12-01: 74 negativeWeek of 2026-01-01: 1,529 positiveWeek of 2026-01-01: 81 negativeWeek of 2026-02-01: 896 positiveWeek of 2026-02-01: 42 negativeWeek of 2026-03-01: 1,037 positiveWeek of 2026-03-01: 47 negativeWeek of 2026-04-01: 914 positiveWeek of 2026-04-01: 38 negativeWeek of 2026-05-01: 807 positiveWeek of 2026-05-01: 38 negativeWeek of 2026-06-01: 947 positiveWeek of 2026-06-01: 40 negativeWeek of 2026-07-01: 1,348 positiveWeek of 2026-07-01: 72 negativeWeek of 2026-08-01: 719 positiveWeek of 2026-08-01: 41 negative
Weekly review counts (Steam review histogram). Positive above the line, negative below.

Players online

1.0k4312026-08-06 21:00 — 948 players2026-08-07 05:00 — 511 players2026-08-07 13:00 — 638 players2026-08-07 21:00 — 915 players2026-08-08 05:00 — 611 players2026-08-08 13:00 — 671 players2026-08-08 21:00 — 994 players2026-08-09 05:00 — 627 players2026-08-09 13:00 — 776 players2026-08-09 21:00 — 1,022 players2026-08-10 05:00 — 498 players2026-08-10 13:00 — 621 players2026-08-10 21:00 — 817 players2026-08-11 05:00 — 483 players2026-08-11 13:00 — 638 players2026-08-12 21:00 — 803 players2026-08-14 04:00 — 499 players2026-08-15 12:00 — 607 players2026-08-16 20:00 — 1,035 players2026-08-18 03:00 — 588 players2026-08-19 11:00 — 526 players2026-08-20 18:00 — 904 players2026-08-22 02:00 — 724 players2026-08-23 09:00 — 586 players2026-08-24 17:00 — 871 players2026-08-26 01:00 — 675 players2026-08-27 09:00 — 469 players2026-08-28 17:00 — 832 players2026-08-30 00:00 — 720 players
Concurrent players, hourly average, last 30 days (census samples).

Price history

$9.99$0.002015-01-012026-07-092015-01-01 — best price $4.992015-06-22 — best price $9.992015-07-21 — best price $2.492015-12-01 — best price $9.992016-02-05 — best price $2.492016-03-25 — best price $9.992016-06-23 — best price $1.992016-08-01 — best price $9.192016-11-29 — best price $9.992017-06-22 — best price $0.992017-11-28 — best price $9.992018-02-15 — best price $0.992018-07-05 — best price $9.992018-12-20 — best price $1.992019-02-12 — best price $9.992019-10-28 — best price $0.992019-12-03 — best price $9.992020-06-25 — best price $1.992020-11-02 — best price $9.992020-12-22 — best price $1.992021-07-08 — best price $9.992021-12-22 — best price $1.992022-02-03 — best price $9.992022-11-22 — best price $0.992023-01-05 — best price $9.992023-06-29 — best price $0.992023-09-19 — best price $9.992023-11-28 — best price $9.992024-03-14 — best price $0.992024-07-11 — best price $9.992024-11-27 — best price $1.992025-01-02 — best price $9.992025-06-26 — best price $1.992025-10-06 — best price $9.992025-12-18 — best price $1.992026-03-26 — best price $9.992026-06-25 — best price $1.992026-07-09 — best price $9.99
Lowest recorded price across tracked stores, per day (census snapshots).

Attention

1.7k8892026-05-31 — 1,182 pageviews2026-06-03 — 1,137 pageviews2026-06-06 — 1,064 pageviews2026-06-09 — 1,108 pageviews2026-06-12 — 1,042 pageviews2026-06-15 — 1,104 pageviews2026-06-18 — 1,128 pageviews2026-06-21 — 1,133 pageviews2026-06-24 — 1,058 pageviews2026-06-27 — 1,220 pageviews2026-06-30 — 1,201 pageviews2026-07-03 — 1,155 pageviews2026-07-06 — 1,247 pageviews2026-07-09 — 1,119 pageviews2026-07-12 — 1,134 pageviews2026-07-15 — 1,190 pageviews2026-07-18 — 988 pageviews2026-07-21 — 955 pageviews2026-07-24 — 984 pageviews2026-07-27 — 1,100 pageviews2026-07-30 — 1,046 pageviews2026-08-02 — 950 pageviews2026-08-05 — 958 pageviews2026-08-08 — 1,095 pageviews2026-08-11 — 1,084 pageviews2026-08-14 — 1,177 pageviews2026-08-17 — 1,060 pageviews2026-08-20 — 1,339 pageviews2026-08-23 — 1,355 pageviews2026-08-26 — 1,295 pageviews2026-08-28 — 1,089 pageviews
Daily Wikipedia pageviews (attention proxy, census-recorded).

Twitch viewers

2.7k22026-08-29 05:34 — 34 viewers2026-08-29 06:34 — 19 viewers2026-08-29 07:34 — 24 viewers2026-08-29 08:34 — 4 viewers2026-08-29 09:34 — 6 viewers2026-08-29 10:34 — 68 viewers2026-08-29 11:34 — 93 viewers2026-08-29 12:35 — 107 viewers2026-08-29 13:34 — 128 viewers2026-08-29 14:34 — 141 viewers2026-08-29 15:34 — 173 viewers2026-08-29 16:34 — 238 viewers2026-08-29 17:34 — 343 viewers2026-08-29 18:34 — 382 viewers2026-08-29 20:34 — 508 viewers2026-08-29 21:34 — 596 viewers2026-08-29 22:34 — 343 viewers2026-08-29 23:34 — 256 viewers2026-08-30 00:34 — 35 viewers2026-08-30 01:34 — 51 viewers2026-08-30 02:34 — 35 viewers2026-08-30 03:34 — 48 viewers2026-08-30 04:34 — 40 viewers2026-08-30 05:34 — 5 viewers2026-08-30 06:34 — 6 viewers2026-08-30 07:34 — 9 viewers2026-08-30 08:34 — 2 viewers2026-08-30 09:34 — 3 viewers2026-08-30 10:34 — 2,723 viewers2026-08-30 11:34 — 32 viewers2026-08-30 12:34 — 72 viewers2026-08-30 13:34 — 92 viewers2026-08-30 14:34 — 89 viewers2026-08-30 15:34 — 101 viewers
Hourly Twitch viewers (census snapshots).

Details

WindowsmacOSLinuxFull controller supportSingle-playerMulti-playerPvPOnline PvPFull controller supportColor AlternativesCustom Volume ControlsAdjustable DifficultyKeyboard Only OptionPlayable without Timed Input1 DLC

7 supported languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish - Spain, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese

Where its players are

Share of Steam reviews by language (top languages measured) — a proxy for where the player base lives.

Player tags

FPSGoreRetro1990'sActionAliensSci-fiClassicShooterStory Rich

Census log

Computed from census-recorded observations only — dates are observation dates.

Players also track

Counter-StrikeHalf-Life 2PortalCall of Duty® (2003)Call of Duty® 2Wolfenstein: The New Order

Similarity via IGDB.

Official site ↗Wikipedia ↗