- Half-Life remake Black Mesa has a Beta for a big update with a new UI and controller support - 5 October 2026
Crowbar Collective are coming back to Black Mesa for another set of upgrades including enhanced visuals and improved performance. Read the full article here: https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2026/10/half-life-remake-black-mesa-has-a-beta-for-a-big-update-with-a-new-ui-and-controller-support/
- Beta Test For Major Update! - 2 October 2026
Greetings, Scientists!Today, we’re excited to introduce a major performance and visual update on the Black Mesa Public Beta Branch! The Black Mesa Research and Development team has been working around the clock to deliver performance optimizations and graphical improvements across the facility, along with a brand-new UI!Improved PerformanceWe’ve made significant performance improvements across many environments.Expect higher frame rates and smoother performance in particularly demanding areas, including the Xen chapters.All-New Reflection Types (Parallax Cubemaps)We’re introducing Parallax Corrected Cubemaps (PCCs), a new rendering technology that improves reflections throughout Black Mesa.Previously, the game used standard cubemaps to capture the surrounding environment from six directions, stitched those views together into a seamless 360-degree image, and used that image to create st…
- Summer Sale and Update Peek - 25 June 2026
Summer, Summer, Science Time!🌞 Time to celebrate good weather, good times, and great deals! Black Mesa is currently 80% off for Summer Sale!Updating...🚧As mentioned previously, we have some new tech in Black Mesa that both our team and HECU Collective (the team behind the Black Mesa: Blue Shift mod) are utilizing. We've been testing these features and doing some initial work on the first 5 chapters. Our goal is to roll out these updates in stages on the public-beta branch. Once testing is complete, we will move the update to the mainline for everyone to check out!Please note: Existing save files will break when this update is moved to the main branch.As always, you'll still be able to restart from the chapter you were on (or from a specific map using console commands).Peer Review 📝To recap, this update will:Fix minor bugs, visual errors, and improve asset optimizations where possible…
- Garry's Mod devs Facepunch will be taking action to "push obviously AI-created slop off" sequel S&box's main page, Garry Newman confirms - 28 April 2026
Update: "Low quality, obvious AI-created slop is going to be a growing problem in every creative outlet," Facepunch founder Garry Newman said in response on RPS' reachout about S&box being plagued by such things out of the gate. "We don't encourage using AI to be creative. We don't encourage using AI to create games for you. But we do acknowledge that it's a good learning tool and it's a good productivity tool. We'll be taking action to promote human creativity and push obviously AI-created slop off the main page." Original story follows: S&box, the open source game development platform/game about vaguely minion-looking cartoon blokes messing about with objects that's serving as spiritual successor to Garry's Mod , has released today, April 28th. Sadly, it seems to be heavy on AI-filled user-created games early doors, with developers Facepunch having already admitted they'll "have to de…
- 5 years of Black Mesa: Blue Shift & Upcoming Update! - 20 March 2026
Congrats to HECU Collective! 🎊🎉It’s been 5 years since HECU Collective released the first chapter of their Black Mesa: Blue Shift mod. Watching their project (and team) grow over that time has been genuinely awesome, and the passion they’ve poured into bringing Barney Calhoun’s story to life continues to blow us away.They’re celebrating the anniversary with two new videos, and you should absolutely give them a watch:What we’re working on for Black Mesa 🛠️On our side, we’ve also been heads-down on an upcoming Black Mesa update. Without turning this into a full patch breakdown just yet, here's what we’re actively working on:New Lighting FeaturesFixed CSM lighting on static propsFixed baked lighting orientation on static propsImproved bounce lightingImplemented outdoor lighting from HDR cubemaps (image based lighting)(From Blue Shift)Parallax Cube MapsAll cube maps can now be corrected…
- Rogue Point is in Early Access - 25 February 2026
Black Mesa fans — we wouldn’t be here without you. Your feedback and support helped shape both Black Mesa, and made Crowbar Collective what it is today. That same feedback and support we consider critical to taking Rogue Point to the next level. We invite you to help us shape it during Early Access.If you’ve been curious, this is genuinely the best time to get in: you’ll get super active dev attention to community feedback, frequent updates, and some of our best discounts! ALL THE BUNDLES: 7 Options!👀Want the best deal? We have options!If you already own one of the games, you can still save 10% on the game you don't own by purchasing the bundle.The CROWBAR COLLECTION BundleTeam17 Bundles We’ve already shipped 2 Hotfixes🔥 (and we’re not slowing down)Just over a week since our EA Launch, and we've based our fixes directly on community feedbackKeep the reports coming — your notes on issu…
- SAVE BIG: Crowbar Collection Bundle - 16 February 2026
🔥 BLACK MESA IS ON SALE — 80% OFF UNTIL FEB 26TH But there's an even better way to save... Crowbar Collection Bundle: Black Mesa x Rogue PointIntroducing the Crowbar Collection Bundle — our highly acclaimed Half-Life remake Black Mesa and our brand new co-op FPS shooter Rogue Point, which just launched into Early Access!Two unforgettable experiences, one unbeatable price. Already own one? No problem! The bundle gives you an additional 10% off the game you don't have.
- The latest Humble Bundle gives you Black Mesa and other FPS games for under $3 each - 3 February 2026
If I sat down next to you and told you to get Battle Shapers, Black Mesa , and Doom Eternal in one sentence, you'd probably get whiplash. Sure, they may belong to the same genre, but the gameplay mechanics, subgenres, and worlds are completely different. However, together they help form the beautiful and varied tapestry that represents the best in FPS gaming right now. Stick with me, because all three of those experiences - and four more - are part of the new Humble Bundle , and it's one you really won't want to miss. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Ten years later, Half-Life remake Black Mesa gets surprise update, drops to $2 New tactical FPS from Half-Life Black Mesa dev may just fix live-service fatigue Half-Life remake gets massive update and 80% off Steam sale
- Half-Life or Black Mesa: Adam's Verdict, Game Bundle, and Livestream! - 23 December 2025
💥 Should you Play Half-Life or Black Mesa?The age old question of what game to start with to get into the franchise, is finally ANSWERED! Check out Adam’s latest video for a deep dive into the differences—graphics, gameplay, and the full experience. It’s a must-watch for both new players and longtime fans! 😎 Moros Protocol x Black Mesa Bundle still going!Treat yourself this holiday season, with the Morrow’s Protocol + Black Mesa bundle—it’s on sale until January 5th! Don’t miss out on this awesome deal.🔴 We play Moros Protocol LIVE🎮 To celebrate the sale, join us today at 12:30 PM ET as we play some Moros Protocol for the first time! Come hang out, see the game in action, and chat with the community. We'll also be giving out some keys during the stream. 👀 Crowbar Collective Twitch🎙 The Game Design Library Podcast featureSome of the team were featured on a recent episode of The Gam…
- Black Mesa SALE, Moros Protocol BUNDLE, and more! - 19 December 2025
❄ Black Mesa is 75% OFF It's the most wonderful time to save on Black Mesa, during the Steam Winter Sale (Dec 18–Jan 5)! If you’ve been waiting, now’s your chance to grab the fan remake of Half-Life at a great discount. But in case that's not enough savings for you...🎄 Moros Protocol x Black Mesa Bundle: Double your savings! We teamed up with Pixel Reign, developers of Moros Protocol, to bundle with Black Mesa. Grab both games together and get an extra 10% OFF—the perfect time to experience two epic sci-fi adventures. And if you wanted to make some new friends this holiday... 👾 Discord Raid & Giveaway: We’re raiding the Moros Protocol Discord! Join us as we invade their server—15 lucky raiders will win a free Moros Protocol key! To enter:Raid the Moros Protocol Discord Server HEREPut codeword "Abby" into their #general channelWant to see Moros Protocol in action?...🔴 Twitch Livestrea…
- Riftwalkers Collection & Black Mesa Sale - 28 November 2025
RIFTWALKERS COLLECTION! Black Mesa is on sale now with 75% OFF, through Dec 11th. To make the deal even sweeter, bundling Black Mesa with Industria saves you an ADDITIONAL 10% OFF! (Bundle available through Dec 4th). It's the perfect combo for FPS fans. Industria Embark on a gripping journey in INDUSTRIA, an atmospheric FPS set in Cold War-era East Berlin. Unravel the secrets of a mysterious parallel dimension while searching for a missing colleague. Explore a haunting reality where the truth awaits. Discover the dark past that lies beyond. Don't sleep on this deal—grab your copy now and join millions of players who've already experienced the magic of Black Mesa and Industria! If you own either game, you can STILL get the discount by using the bundle below👇
- November News '25 - 23 November 2025
1. Black Mesa: Blue Shift – “Caretaking Update” by HECU Collective 👮 Our friends over at HECU Collective have dropped a big “Caretaking Update” for their Black Mesa: Blue Shift mod, and it’s absolutely worth your time if you haven’t checked it out yet.Some of the standout improvements in this update include:A new scene at the end of Focal Point that smoothly transitions into Power Struggle (coming Soon™)A major Focal Point overhaul with improved lighting, performance, combat, and atmosphereUpgraded visuals, models, and textures across the board, plus lots of small details that make the world feel more aliveOn top of that, they’ve packed in new voice lines, refined audio, extra fauna and interactive objects, more autosaves, and a ton of bug fixes and polish. Read more about it at the link: ModDBIf you’re a fan of Black Mesa and haven’t tried Black Mesa: Blue Shift yet, this is a great t…
- SALE- Science and Chaos Bundle - 3 October 2025
Science and Chaos Bundle – Save Big on Three Mind-Bending Adventures! Looking for your next sci-fi adventure? The Science and Chaos Bundle brings together Black Mesa, Abiotic Factor, and The Entropy Centre at an unbeatable price.All three games are on sale, and when you grab the bundle, you'll save an additional 10% off! Already own one or two of these games? No problem – the extra 10% discount applies to the games you don't own yet, so it's still worth buying through the bundle.Whether you're surviving interdimensional chaos, solving time-bending puzzles, or reliving the Black Mesa incident, this bundle has you covered. Sale ends October 6 – don't miss out! Get the Bundle Here!
- Summer Sale & Updates 🔥 - 2 July 2025
🔥 BLACK MESA SUMMER SALE - 90% OFF! 🔥This Black Mesa deal is HOT ! 🔥Black Mesa is available for an incredible 90% OFF now through July 10th at 10AM PT!At just $1.99, there's never been a better time to experience the legendary re-imagining of Half-Life or gift it to friends who haven't taken the trip to Black Mesa yet.GET BLACK MESA HERE! 🛠️ GET YOUR HOTFIXES, HERE !!!We've just pushed multiple hotfixes to the mainline build featuring: • Bug fixes across multiple systems • Reduced startup crashes • Enhanced stability and performance • And more! Check out more info here: Hot Fix #1 Hot Fix #2Hot Fix #3 📋 UPDATED TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDEHaving technical issues? We've refreshed our comprehensive troubleshooting guide to help you get the best Black Mesa experience possible.Black Mesa Troubleshooting GuideDon't miss out on this massive discount - grab Black Mesa now and dive into the Black…
- Resonance Decade Update: Hotfix #3 - 1 July 2025
Hello Scientists! We've deployed a hotfix surrounding issues recently reported to improve your experience around the facility.Changelist:Resolved a rare issue that prevented the game from launching and triggered a 'Failed to load the Launcher DLL' error in specific scenarios.
- Resonance Decade Update: Hotfix #2 - 30 June 2025
Hello Scientists! We've deployed a hotfix surrounding issues recently reported to improve your experience around the facility. Changelist:Replaced old bone separation logic for ragdolls with a trace-based solver that resolves occluded or embedded bones:Ensures hierarchy-correct traversal by sorting bones by tree depth before applying fixes.Uses trace normals and parent-to-child constraints to reposition bones without excessive separation.Scales inherited velocity by mass ratio and biases resolution based on contact direction.Added debug overlay (r_debug_ragdoll_separation_solver) for visualizing correction passes.Minor cleanup of redundant vector normalization and more consistent use of safe math.Fixed incorrect animation state when unarmed in multiplayer.Fixed grenade fuse continuing after the owner's death in multiplayer matches.New DLL directory resolution functions are now enabled b…
- Resonance Decade Update: Hotfix #1 - 20 May 2025
Hello Scientists! We've deployed a hotfix surrounding issues recently reported to improve your experience around the facility. Changelist: Resolved IVP related crashes in the "Office Complex" chapter when resuming from a save file. This fix potentially safeguards other chapters from having similar crashes. Potentially fixed cases of Alt+Tab related crashes.
- Got the Blues? US TOO! 💙 - 14 May 2025
Shift into Something Blue-tiful😎 👮🏻♂️HECU Collective Update! The HECU Collective is hard at work on new chapters for Black Mesa: Blue Shift. While you wait, their latest update shares their current progress, screenshots, behind the scenes animations and audio. Want to know more about what's coming? Check out the full details on ModDB 🔴LIVE TODAY - SALEM TECHSPERTS PLAYS BLUE SHIFT! The Greatest Technician that's ever lived, plays Blue Shift! Join Salem Techsperts as they dive into Black Mesa: Blue Shift TODAY at 2:00 PM EST! Catch the action on their YouTube channel and right here on the Black Mesa Steam store page. Watch Live on their YouTube or Black Mesa Store Page 💥HISTORIC SALE ALERT! EVER, celebrating 10 incredible years on Steam! https://store.steampowered.com/app/362890 Coming Soon: Mark your calendars for May 17th! The Crowbar Collective team will be joining forces with L…
- Stonking Half-Life remake Black Mesa is the cheapest it's ever been on Steam, offering Barney Calhoun in glorious 4K for a mere 2 bucks - 14 May 2025
Check it out, guys: I think this Half-Life game is gonna be pretty big potatoes. You're a mute scientist who starts shooting people at work and then you fight a large baby in space. Let's just hope they don't kill it with too many sequels... Read more.
- Ten years later, Half-Life remake Black Mesa gets surprise update, drops to $2 - 13 May 2025
Black Mesa is mostly lauded for its reimagining of Xen, but I prefer Crowbar Collective's take on the opening Anomalous Materials section. The reception area with the chunky, CRT security monitors. The changing room with the HEV suit. That iconic little cafeteria area, where you blow up Magnusson's casserole. The original Half-Life has a distinctive, generational aesthetic - the sights and sounds of Valve's shooter are etched into the collective memory of an entire epoch of PC players. But Black Mesa adds a new layer of detail. Once a fan-driven modding project, it's now ten years since Black Mesa first arrived on Steam, and to celebrate, it's gotten a worthwhile update and a severe price cut. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: New tactical FPS from Half-Life Black Mesa dev may just fix live-service fatigue Half-Life remake gets massive update and 80% off Steam sale Half-Life…
