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The writer of Half-Life 1 and 2 has revealed that he is no longer working at Valve after 18 years at the company.

Marc Laidlaw wrote both 1998’s Half-Life and its acclaimed 2004 sequel alone, becoming lead writer for the latter title’s two follow-up episodes.

The last Half-Life instalment, Half-Life 2: Episode 2, was released in 2007.

In response to a fan email requesting more details on the status of long-awaited sequel and internet powder keg Half-Life 3, Laidlaw confirmed that he had left Valve for personal reasons – with his age a primary factor.

"An outwardly obvious reason is that I’m old, or anyway oldish,” he said.

“My nickname when I first started at Valve in 1997 was ‘old man Laidlaw’. The little baby level designer who gave me that that nickname is now older than I was then.

"I had a good run but lately I have been feeling a need for a break from the collaborative chaos of game production, and a return to more self-directed writing projects."

Laidlaw went on to address the fan’s concerns regarding Half-Life 3 by saying that he was “no longer working on Valve games in any capacity”, and therefore could not comment on the state of the franchise.

"Where Valve may choose to take Half-Life in the future is not in my hands," he stated.

"I have been a grateful co-creator, but my time working on the series is behind me."

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