Black Mesa – Assurance for Bio
blackmesa.com

The bottom of the page there is a countdown that will expire at midnight Eastern standard Time tonight.

This company claims to be in Boston. They’ve received federal grants. I’ve done a small amount of digging, but it would be entirely within valves resources to set up such a company. They have a LinkedIn, but it doesn’t really seem like anyone really works there? It seems like a viral marketing campaign.

There was a Reddit thread. A while back. Some people noticed classes in the HTML that referenced other half-lifey things. But, some people in that thread shut it down as nothing out of the ordinary.

Then, there have been recent leaks with regard to a new game being developed. Someone found a resume suggesting that a person had done voice-over work for an unreleased project with Valve in 2023.

There was also a leak of some files with .hlx file types, and I guess prior to the half-life alyx release some .hla files leaked.

In the .hlx file leak, I guess there was found references to things like the EV suit.

Here’s a YouTube video that touches on all of this.

          • catloaf@lemm.eeEnglish
            1·
            3 minutes ago

            Apparently they reached out to Valve and got the OK from someone to use the name and variant logo, according to a comment I saw either here or on reddit.

        • foggy@lemmy.worldOP
          1·
          22 hours ago

          Not if contributing to actual research, for which they applied for govt grants (and received) contributes to a tax write-off.

          They have the means.

          • catloaf@lemm.eeEnglish
            2·
            12 hours ago

            I’m not sure if you’re serious. Technically yes, Valve could set up a real biotech company, staff it, apply for government grants, receive money, and do actual biotech work… But it doesn’t make sense to do for a video game marketing stunt.

            • foggy@lemmy.worldOP
              1·
              3 hours ago

              Why would it not make sense for them to do it? It is the most anticipated videogames of all time. The videogame community has basically taunted Valve saying they’re afraid to make the games and valve has been firm that fear does not guide them. So obviously they will go as big as anyone’s ever gone.

              It in fact makes less sense that a biotech firm would call themselves black Mesa, and start up a faux ARG for the lulz.

              • catloaf@lemm.eeEnglish
                2·
                2 hours ago

                What does spinning off a biotech company achieve for marketing HL3? Especially when Black Mesa has already been released and isn’t even Valve’s game?