After twelve agonizing years of waiting, the impossible has finally come true. Valve is developing a new full-length Half-Life game. Granted, it's a prequel exclusive to VR platforms, but it is still a reason to celebrate. The company behind one of the most legendary franchises didn't forget about its baby. They were just waiting for the right moment to bring back the dormant franchise.

Related: 10 Retro Games From The '90s That Need A Remake In 2020

They've already been plenty generous with information, as the following list will show, though we're still in the dark about several key details. The entries below detail five concrete facts about Half-Life: Alyx, and five educational guesses one can deduce as likely to happen.

10 Already Know: Full-Length Game

When one hears VR they think smaller scale experiences lasting at most a few hours. Rarely does a massive, ten to twenty hour campaign head to the still burgeoning platform. This is what makes the new Half-Life so intriguing. Valve has already promised a beefy campaign on par with Half-Life 2's length.

The 2004 title is an especially lengthy first-person shooter even for its day, ranging between fifteen and twenty hours long. The only concern is how extended play will affect players, but no one said the game has to be completed in two or three sittings. Take your time and enjoy it like a fine wine.

9 Likely: Connection To A Possible Sequel

Half-Life 2: Episode 2 left players with a yet unresolved gut-wrenching cliff hanger. The announcement of Half-Life: Alyx being purely a prequel was slightly disappointing to those looking for some closure. Assad as this is, one can never forget the company's penchant for leaving games open for continuation.

Given the strange happenings of the game's lore, there's no reason a prequel cannot shed light on possible future events. Maybe we'll learn more about the Borealis, or get a more in depth look at the competition between Aperture and Black Mesa that started this whole mess in the first place.

8 Already Know: Prequel

half-life: Alyx first-person screenshot

The game is a prequel, something which may have let some fans down. However, after twelve years of waiting, any blip on the radar is a welcome sign. Many genuinely lost hope in Valve ever bringing this series back again.

Related: 10 Best Horror Games Of 2019

Besides, some prequels have ended up being the best a particular franchise has had to offer. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, for example, is often hailed as Kojima's best work in his trademark series.

7 Likely: Exploring G-Man's Relationship With Alyx

half life 3 g man

The trailer shows so much, but yet tells so little. Players know have a taste of what this game will bring to the relatively new VR gaming space. In terms of story, it is anyone's guess as to what will transpire during the campaign.

The G-Man has already been confirmed in the game, though. Where there's trouble, the mysterious man is usually close behind. He's already known to have an interest in Alyx, so we'll probably get a closer look into their relationship and why she is so special to him. Eli's dialog in the trailer hints at some secrets he's been keeping from her; maybe it involves their mutual fiend.

6 Already Know: VR Only

Valve index VR headset

Despite the series' impressive narrative, Valve is more concerned with game play innovation and only ever seems to bring the franchise out of the darkness whenever a new technological advancement comes along. The debut entry took the FPS genre to whole new heights, the sequel showcased a brand new engine with unbelievably lifelike physics, and Alyx will display the untapped potential of VR.

Because this, the game is only available on VR. According to Valve, mapping all the actions to a mouse and keyboard would simply be impossible, or at least drastically change the experience. As exciting as this is, it is equally as unfortunate for so many to miss out because of VR's low install base and high price tag, but the same issues applied to PC owners when Half-Life 2 came out and the Source engine was the most advanced thing PCs had ever run.

5 Likely: Releasing On PS VR Next Gen

PS VR headset

Of all the speculation on this list, this one is probably going the furthest out on a limb. Sony has commented on the current VR headset being compatible with PS5, but it has kept mum on whether a next gen successor to the platform will come out.

Related: 10 Games Rumored To Come Out On The PS5

As it stands now, the current PSVR probably couldn't run Valve's upcoming game without melting. Should it release an upgraded model, however, it's entirely possible for it to make its way to console VR games, if in a slightly downgraded form. More games in more hands is always a plus, for both the gamers and the developer's wallet.

4 Already Know: Different Cast

half-life alyx voice recast

Half-Life 2's voice acting is iconic. People can recall the voices of Alyx, Eli, and Dr. Kleiner like their own mother's speech. The new game will sadly employ a different voice cast. Alyx's voice actress is twelve years older than when Episode 2 came out, and this prequel sees a younger version of the character fighting the combine. Robert Guillaume, the actor who played Eli, passed away in 2017. Talented actors can certainly fill the roles, but something will feel like it's missing without the same voices.

3 Likely: Gordon Freeman

super smash bros. ultimate dlc 5 rumored fighters

In the trailer, characters talk of  a weapon with the potential to change everything. What could this be? Maybe it's the Gravity Gun, something we've never heard of, or perhaps even the crowbar-wielding scientist himself. The G-Man speaks of Freeman like he's some kind of weapon or asset, so it's not too far out there for others to talk of him like this.

Related: 10 Free-To-Play Steam Games You Can Try Right Now

If they aren't referring to him, he still has a high chance of poking his head into the picture, if only for a brief cameo or sequel tease.

2 Already Know: Release Month

half-life alyx half-life 3 art work alyx vance

Valve announcing a game so close to its release is uncharacteristic of them. Those old enough to remember Half-Life 2's release will recall the mystery surrounding its release and sudden delay right before its expected ship day.

Fans are willing to wait as long as the finished product is satisfactory, but the news of Half-Life: Alyx coming out in March 2020 is music to gamers' ears.

1 Likely: Delay

Let's be real here, though; how much has Valve really changed in the interim between Half-Life games? They say March, 2020, but there is at least a fifty percent chance of it getting pushed back. Pre-orders are already pouring in, but a game's release isn't set in stone until it has gone gold. While pushing back a promised date is painful for everyone involved, it is ultimately better than releasing a broken or unpolished product. It's like what Shigeru Miyamoto said, "A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad."

Next: The 10 Most Anticipated Games Of 2020 And Beyond!