E3 2010 gets Half Life 3?

Remember Valve's cryptic
email telling us that their E3 2010 press conference was no longer
going to involve Portal
2? This official-looking teaser plaque could be the answer.

The image merely shows a Half-Life logo and
the words: 'Freeman, June 14th'. The date coincides with Valve's
would-be Portal 2 E3 conference. A Valve insignia sits at the bottom.

This could mean one of three things, for our money: (i) Valve will
announce Half-Life 3 on June 14 at E3; (ii) Valve will announce
Half-Life 2: Episode 3 on June 14 at E3; (iii) Someone in a bedroom has
Photoshop and too much time on their hands.

Meanwhile, Ripten
reports that a '360 and PS3 journalist' has been told by Valve that the
new non-Portal 2 'surprise' at E3 won't be of great interest to them. A
PC exclusive makes Episode 3 the more likely candidate.

Of
course, this is all scurrilous rumour and conjecture for now. Whatever
Valve's showing off at E3, we'll be there in force - ready to let you
know exactly what's going down.

Meanwhile, we'll check in with
Valve's team to see what they say about the new image...