Ever since they missed their 2009 release date, we’ve gotten zero information from the brilliant modders behind Black Mesa on the release date of their mod, until lead animator Nathan Ayres teased that the mod may get released at the end of 2010.

Black Mesa will not make a 2010 release date.

In another forum post, made by Dillxn, who had spoken to him personally, Nate sheds some light on what that “end of 2010” post we talked about a loooong while ago really meant.

It was meant to be a combination of whatever you wanted it to be haha. If you saw a release date in it.. well there may be some truth there. If you saw me telling people to simply go away until the end of 2010, well there may have been some truth there too haha. It wasn’t supposed to be some form of coded message or cryptic secret awaiting the combined might of the Black Mesa fanbase to unlock. It was a spontaneous shot across the bow that went much further then I expected it to go.

However, that’s not all:

However, lest you despair, let me just say this. There will be a break in silence, of some form, from us at the end of 2010/very early 2011. Will it be a mod release? Another trailer? A media release? A Twitter update? A new release date? Raminator changing his avatar? Or just an announcement saying “oh hai believe it or not we’re still alive”? I can’t say. But an end of 2010 update.. you can be sure will happen.

Interesting to hear.

However, do not forget what lead level designer Raminator said back on the 23rd of June (http://forums.blackmesasource.com/showpost.php?p=241467&postcount=796):

If we continue hitting milestones at our current rate of progress, Black Mesa will be released within the next twelve months regardless of whether we meet our internal deadline.

Oh well. Here’s to more waiting!

And thanks to Jeff for the tip!

Here’s the link to Nate’s recent forum post: http://forums.blackmesasource.com/showthread.php?t=7742