The acclaimed Risk of Rain series developers, Hopoo Games, have made a significant move. Key team members, including co-founders Duncan Drummond and Paul Morse, have transitioned to Valve.
Hopoo Games announced via Twitter (X) that several developers, including its co-founders, are joining Valve. This collaboration temporarily halts Hopoo Games' current projects, including the unannounced title "Snail." While the nature of this collaboration – temporary or permanent – remains unclear, Drummond and Morse's LinkedIn profiles still list their Hopoo Games affiliations. The studio expressed gratitude for its past decade-long partnership with Valve and excitement for future projects. However, development on "Snail" is officially on hold.
Founded in 2012, Hopoo Games rose to prominence with the original Risk of Rain, a successful roguelike. The sequel, Risk of Rain 2, followed in 2019. In 2022, Hopoo Games sold the Risk of Rain IP to Gearbox, who continue to develop the series (most recently with the Risk of Rain 2: Seekers of the Storm DLC). Despite some criticism of the DLC, Drummond expressed confidence in Gearbox's future plans.
While the specifics of Hopoo Games' work at Valve remain undisclosed, it coincides with Valve's ongoing "Deadlock" project (in early access) and persistent Half-Life 3 rumors. These rumors intensified after a voice actor's portfolio briefly mentioned a Valve project called "Project White Sands," before being quickly removed.
This sparked intense speculation, particularly among Eurogamer readers. Theories connect "White Sands" to Half-Life 3, referencing a New Mexico location potentially linked to Black Mesa, a key setting in the Half-Life series and its fan-made remake. The speculation remains just that, however, the timing of the Hopoo Games' move has certainly fueled the flames of anticipation.
LATEST ARTICLES 15
2026-02
Pokémon TCG Pocket's latest expansion is now liveCelestial Guardians brings over 200 new cards, featuring fresh legendary PokémonHalf-year anniversary celebrations also deliver a wealth of incredible rewardsThe Pokédex brims with legendary creatures,
Author: LucyReading:3
11
2026-02
Nintendo Switch 2 Lets You Use Your Smartphone as a Camera, Fans Find — All You Need Are Two Inexpensive Cables.We were already aware that the Switch 2 supports third-party USB cameras — you might even have one at home with a USB-C connection ready t
Author: LucyReading:2
11
2026-02
Updated March 25, 2025 - Fresh SpongeBob Tower Defense codes verified!Searching for redeemable codes in SpongeBob Tower Defense? You've come to the right place! While we can't offer Krabby Patties, we do provide valid codes for double XP, coins, ches
Author: LucyReading:2
10
2026-02
During Xbox’s Developer Direct earlier this year, director Hugo Martin revealed that Doom: The Dark Ages embraces a “stand and fight” philosophy, a stark contrast to the frenetic, movement-driven batt
Author: LucyReading:2
