Half-Life 2 ported to browser: game runs with almost no lag

A high school student ported Half-Life 2 to the browser over the course of three months. Players can now run the Valve shooter for free directly on a website without any installation.

The developer, known as slqnt, spent three months building the browser version. Users simply open the site, wait for the files to load, and select “New Game” to start playing.

This work relies on the Portal web port created by an enthusiast named Weliveinhell. That project is available on GitHub and builds upon a 2018 Team Fortress 2 leak. Because of its origins, the creators explicitly state that the port cannot be used for commercial purposes.

The Portal web port served as the technical foundation for this release. It proved that similar ports can be scaled to other Valve titles.

The news spread quickly across social media. Hundreds of users shared the project and thousands have already tested the browser build. While Valve has not issued a statement, the company could eventually request that the project be taken down.

Half-Life 2 runs in mobile browsers as well, though the controls are limited. A gamepad, keyboard, or mouse is necessary for a functional experience. The developer noted that the port runs with surprising stability, despite occasional graphical glitches and minor frame rate dips.