The Game Census
Half-Life: Blue Shift cover art

Half-Life: Blue Shift

Gearbox Software · Valve · 2001-06-01

Steam

Action

Franchise: Half-Life · Modes: Single player

Releases: Jul 31, 2013 (Linux), Jun 15, 2001 (PC (Microsoft Windows)), Jul 31, 2013 (Mac)

Made by Gearbox Software and originally released in 2001 as an add-on to Half-Life, Blue Shift is a return to the Black Mesa Research Facility in which you play as Barney Calhoun, the security guard sidekick who helped Gordon out of so many sticky situations.

42
playing now
93%
positive of 21k reviews
Very Positive
steam rating
1,000,000–2,000,000
owners (SteamSpy est.)
60/100
critic score (1 outlets, IGDB)
73/100
IGDB user rating (386 ratings)
4h
to beat · rushed 3h · completionist 3.5h
platinum
deck/linux tier (ProtonDB)
$4.99
steam price (US)

42 players in-game as of 2026-08-30 01:00 UTC (census sample)

Half-Life: Blue Shift is an expansion pack for the first-person shooter video game Half-Life (1998). It was developed by Gearbox Software and published by Sierra On-Line. Blue Shift was the second expansion for Half-Life, originally intended as part of a Dreamcast port of Half-Life. Although the Dreamcast port was cancelled, the Windows version was released as a standalone product on June 12, 2001.

Health check

Healthy
  • · 42 players in-game at the last census sample.
  • · 1,666 reviews in the last 8 weeks (~208/week).
  • · Review velocity up 23% vs the prior 8 weeks.
  • · Top 7% of 10,791 Action games in the census by review count.

Health tier since 2026-08-29

Estimated sales: 847k–1.7M copies

Review-multiple estimate from 21,184 total reviews — how this is computed.

All-time low: $0.49 at Steam (2019-06-26)via IsThereAnyDeal

12-month high $4.99 · on sale 4 of 8 observed days (census price snapshots)

Review momentum

PositiveNegative
41041020182026Week of 2018-01-01: 73 positiveWeek of 2018-01-01: 8 negativeWeek of 2018-02-01: 49 positiveWeek of 2018-02-01: 9 negativeWeek of 2018-03-01: 50 positiveWeek of 2018-03-01: 6 negativeWeek of 2018-04-01: 40 positiveWeek of 2018-04-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2018-05-01: 45 positiveWeek of 2018-05-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2018-06-01: 68 positiveWeek of 2018-06-01: 9 negativeWeek of 2018-07-01: 84 positiveWeek of 2018-07-01: 8 negativeWeek of 2018-08-01: 37 positiveWeek of 2018-08-01: 6 negativeWeek of 2018-09-01: 36 positiveWeek of 2018-09-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2018-10-01: 23 positiveWeek of 2018-10-01: 8 negativeWeek of 2018-11-01: 50 positiveWeek of 2018-11-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2018-12-01: 52 positiveWeek of 2018-12-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2019-01-01: 64 positiveWeek of 2019-01-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2019-02-01: 53 positiveWeek of 2019-02-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2019-03-01: 36 positiveWeek of 2019-03-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2019-04-01: 38 positiveWeek of 2019-04-01: 10 negativeWeek of 2019-05-01: 39 positiveWeek of 2019-05-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2019-06-01: 133 positiveWeek of 2019-06-01: 13 negativeWeek of 2019-07-01: 160 positiveWeek of 2019-07-01: 19 negativeWeek of 2019-08-01: 55 positiveWeek of 2019-08-01: 11 negativeWeek of 2019-09-01: 48 positiveWeek of 2019-09-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2019-10-01: 44 positiveWeek of 2019-10-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2019-11-01: 136 positiveWeek of 2019-11-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2019-12-01: 188 positiveWeek of 2019-12-01: 21 negativeWeek of 2020-01-01: 175 positiveWeek of 2020-01-01: 17 negativeWeek of 2020-02-01: 113 positiveWeek of 2020-02-01: 14 negativeWeek of 2020-03-01: 159 positiveWeek of 2020-03-01: 12 negativeWeek of 2020-04-01: 223 positiveWeek of 2020-04-01: 15 negativeWeek of 2020-05-01: 142 positiveWeek of 2020-05-01: 12 negativeWeek of 2020-06-01: 169 positiveWeek of 2020-06-01: 8 negativeWeek of 2020-07-01: 222 positiveWeek of 2020-07-01: 18 negativeWeek of 2020-08-01: 134 positiveWeek of 2020-08-01: 13 negativeWeek of 2020-09-01: 96 positiveWeek of 2020-09-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2020-10-01: 113 positiveWeek of 2020-10-01: 11 negativeWeek of 2020-11-01: 176 positiveWeek of 2020-11-01: 20 negativeWeek of 2020-12-01: 221 positiveWeek of 2020-12-01: 20 negativeWeek of 2021-01-01: 273 positiveWeek of 2021-01-01: 11 negativeWeek of 2021-02-01: 192 positiveWeek of 2021-02-01: 16 negativeWeek of 2021-03-01: 155 positiveWeek of 2021-03-01: 11 negativeWeek of 2021-04-01: 153 positiveWeek of 2021-04-01: 13 negativeWeek of 2021-05-01: 134 positiveWeek of 2021-05-01: 13 negativeWeek of 2021-06-01: 157 positiveWeek of 2021-06-01: 24 negativeWeek of 2021-07-01: 314 positiveWeek of 2021-07-01: 22 negativeWeek of 2021-08-01: 192 positiveWeek of 2021-08-01: 12 negativeWeek of 2021-09-01: 138 positiveWeek of 2021-09-01: 11 negativeWeek of 2021-10-01: 118 positiveWeek of 2021-10-01: 17 negativeWeek of 2021-11-01: 125 positiveWeek of 2021-11-01: 17 negativeWeek of 2021-12-01: 213 positiveWeek of 2021-12-01: 14 negativeWeek of 2022-01-01: 248 positiveWeek of 2022-01-01: 22 negativeWeek of 2022-02-01: 182 positiveWeek of 2022-02-01: 17 negativeWeek of 2022-03-01: 154 positiveWeek of 2022-03-01: 12 negativeWeek of 2022-04-01: 130 positiveWeek of 2022-04-01: 9 negativeWeek of 2022-05-01: 110 positiveWeek of 2022-05-01: 14 negativeWeek of 2022-06-01: 155 positiveWeek of 2022-06-01: 14 negativeWeek of 2022-07-01: 285 positiveWeek of 2022-07-01: 23 negativeWeek of 2022-08-01: 157 positiveWeek of 2022-08-01: 10 negativeWeek of 2022-09-01: 108 positiveWeek of 2022-09-01: 15 negativeWeek of 2022-10-01: 97 positiveWeek of 2022-10-01: 11 negativeWeek of 2022-11-01: 204 positiveWeek of 2022-11-01: 21 negativeWeek of 2022-12-01: 295 positiveWeek of 2022-12-01: 23 negativeWeek of 2023-01-01: 317 positiveWeek of 2023-01-01: 24 negativeWeek of 2023-02-01: 190 positiveWeek of 2023-02-01: 11 negativeWeek of 2023-03-01: 234 positiveWeek of 2023-03-01: 23 negativeWeek of 2023-04-01: 195 positiveWeek of 2023-04-01: 13 negativeWeek of 2023-05-01: 168 positiveWeek of 2023-05-01: 15 negativeWeek of 2023-06-01: 160 positiveWeek of 2023-06-01: 14 negativeWeek of 2023-07-01: 349 positiveWeek of 2023-07-01: 17 negativeWeek of 2023-08-01: 214 positiveWeek of 2023-08-01: 19 negativeWeek of 2023-09-01: 205 positiveWeek of 2023-09-01: 11 negativeWeek of 2023-10-01: 169 positiveWeek of 2023-10-01: 11 negativeWeek of 2023-11-01: 382 positiveWeek of 2023-11-01: 43 negativeWeek of 2023-12-01: 410 positiveWeek of 2023-12-01: 20 negativeWeek of 2024-01-01: 324 positiveWeek of 2024-01-01: 24 negativeWeek of 2024-02-01: 181 positiveWeek of 2024-02-01: 14 negativeWeek of 2024-03-01: 245 positiveWeek of 2024-03-01: 20 negativeWeek of 2024-04-01: 208 positiveWeek of 2024-04-01: 14 negativeWeek of 2024-05-01: 193 positiveWeek of 2024-05-01: 10 negativeWeek of 2024-06-01: 181 positiveWeek of 2024-06-01: 16 negativeWeek of 2024-07-01: 253 positiveWeek of 2024-07-01: 24 negativeWeek of 2024-08-01: 279 positiveWeek of 2024-08-01: 20 negativeWeek of 2024-09-01: 173 positiveWeek of 2024-09-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2024-10-01: 126 positiveWeek of 2024-10-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2024-11-01: 348 positiveWeek of 2024-11-01: 21 negativeWeek of 2024-12-01: 394 positiveWeek of 2024-12-01: 22 negativeWeek of 2025-01-01: 288 positiveWeek of 2025-01-01: 14 negativeWeek of 2025-02-01: 147 positiveWeek of 2025-02-01: 14 negativeWeek of 2025-03-01: 204 positiveWeek of 2025-03-01: 18 negativeWeek of 2025-04-01: 147 positiveWeek of 2025-04-01: 9 negativeWeek of 2025-05-01: 144 positiveWeek of 2025-05-01: 10 negativeWeek of 2025-06-01: 163 positiveWeek of 2025-06-01: 17 negativeWeek of 2025-07-01: 219 positiveWeek of 2025-07-01: 18 negativeWeek of 2025-08-01: 146 positiveWeek of 2025-08-01: 13 negativeWeek of 2025-09-01: 118 positiveWeek of 2025-09-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2025-10-01: 149 positiveWeek of 2025-10-01: 16 negativeWeek of 2025-11-01: 173 positiveWeek of 2025-11-01: 8 negativeWeek of 2025-12-01: 251 positiveWeek of 2025-12-01: 16 negativeWeek of 2026-01-01: 251 positiveWeek of 2026-01-01: 21 negativeWeek of 2026-02-01: 133 positiveWeek of 2026-02-01: 11 negativeWeek of 2026-03-01: 202 positiveWeek of 2026-03-01: 8 negativeWeek of 2026-04-01: 164 positiveWeek of 2026-04-01: 12 negativeWeek of 2026-05-01: 141 positiveWeek of 2026-05-01: 15 negativeWeek of 2026-06-01: 169 positiveWeek of 2026-06-01: 13 negativeWeek of 2026-07-01: 247 positiveWeek of 2026-07-01: 12 negativeWeek of 2026-08-01: 141 positiveWeek of 2026-08-01: 15 negative
Weekly review counts (Steam review histogram). Positive above the line, negative below.

Players online

61182026-08-06 21:00 — 57 players2026-08-07 05:00 — 29 players2026-08-07 13:00 — 37 players2026-08-07 21:00 — 43 players2026-08-08 05:00 — 29 players2026-08-08 13:00 — 47 players2026-08-08 21:00 — 47 players2026-08-09 05:00 — 32 players2026-08-09 13:00 — 54 players2026-08-09 21:00 — 46 players2026-08-10 05:00 — 25 players2026-08-10 13:00 — 46 players2026-08-10 21:00 — 27 players2026-08-11 05:00 — 22 players2026-08-11 13:00 — 44 players2026-08-12 21:00 — 24 players2026-08-14 05:00 — 18 players2026-08-15 12:00 — 37 players2026-08-16 20:00 — 49 players2026-08-18 04:00 — 22 players2026-08-19 11:00 — 29 players2026-08-20 19:00 — 60 players2026-08-22 02:00 — 45 players2026-08-23 10:00 — 49 players2026-08-24 18:00 — 50 players2026-08-26 02:00 — 24 players2026-08-27 10:00 — 32 players2026-08-28 17:00 — 42 players2026-08-30 01:00 — 42 players
Concurrent players, hourly average, last 30 days (census samples).

Price history

$4.99$0.492015-01-012026-07-092015-01-01 — best price $2.492015-06-22 — best price $4.992015-07-21 — best price $1.242015-12-01 — best price $4.992016-02-05 — best price $1.242016-03-25 — best price $4.992016-06-23 — best price $0.992016-09-26 — best price $4.992016-11-29 — best price $4.992017-06-22 — best price $0.992017-11-28 — best price $4.992018-02-15 — best price $0.992018-07-05 — best price $4.992018-12-20 — best price $0.992019-02-12 — best price $4.992019-10-28 — best price $0.992020-01-02 — best price $4.992020-10-29 — best price $0.992020-12-01 — best price $4.992021-06-24 — best price $0.992021-12-01 — best price $4.992022-01-27 — best price $0.992022-07-07 — best price $4.992022-12-22 — best price $0.492023-03-23 — best price $4.992023-09-12 — best price $0.492023-11-17 — best price $0.692024-01-04 — best price $4.992024-06-27 — best price $0.742024-11-22 — best price $4.992024-12-19 — best price $1.242025-03-20 — best price $4.992025-09-29 — best price $1.242026-01-05 — best price $4.992026-06-25 — best price $0.992026-07-09 — best price $4.99
Lowest recorded price across tracked stores, per day (census snapshots).

Attention

152772026-05-31 — 100 pageviews2026-06-03 — 105 pageviews2026-06-06 — 117 pageviews2026-06-09 — 132 pageviews2026-06-12 — 126 pageviews2026-06-15 — 107 pageviews2026-06-18 — 125 pageviews2026-06-21 — 124 pageviews2026-06-24 — 97 pageviews2026-06-27 — 125 pageviews2026-06-30 — 132 pageviews2026-07-03 — 133 pageviews2026-07-06 — 146 pageviews2026-07-09 — 133 pageviews2026-07-12 — 119 pageviews2026-07-15 — 93 pageviews2026-07-18 — 86 pageviews2026-07-21 — 98 pageviews2026-07-24 — 101 pageviews2026-07-27 — 127 pageviews2026-07-30 — 97 pageviews2026-08-02 — 82 pageviews2026-08-05 — 117 pageviews2026-08-08 — 112 pageviews2026-08-11 — 82 pageviews2026-08-14 — 104 pageviews2026-08-17 — 102 pageviews2026-08-20 — 86 pageviews2026-08-23 — 140 pageviews2026-08-26 — 108 pageviews2026-08-27 — 99 pageviews
Daily Wikipedia pageviews (attention proxy, census-recorded).

Details

WindowsmacOSLinuxSingle-playerCustom Volume ControlsAdjustable DifficultyPlayable without Timed InputSave AnytimeFamily Sharing

3 supported languages: English, French, German

Player tags

FPSShort1990'sActionAliensSci-fiClassicShooterZombiesAdventure

Census log

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

Players also track

Counter-StrikeHalf-LifeHalf-Life 2PortalWolfenstein: The New Order

Similarity via IGDB.

Wikipedia ↗