Goddammit Valve, not again

[Arcanum]

Alternative title: Potatoes Part 2 Electric Boogaloo

Anyway, http://i.imgur.com/xrenLAE.jpg

Could this be another convoluted ARG like that potato craziness before Portal 2's release?

Or might this just be puzzle building up to the Steam summer sale?

The uncertainty is why I kept the title vague and applicable to either situation.

Anyway, it looks like the site dedicated to solving all of Valve's craziness (http://www.valvearg.com) is already on the case. (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wyS3-DvO7NT8eKLfCMPyAcXCpP1tSTLUX26bKjERqsk/edit) Obviously no solid evidence right now, and all we can do is wait for Saturday.

So folks, place your bets, what do you think it's going to be?

[Aldurin]

Half-Life 3 released on the first day of the Steam Sale for 50% off. All of our wallets rupture.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

Didn't they already come out and say that this has nothing to do with HL3? That the update basically just fucked up the language settings of the game accidentally and has now been fixed?

Of course, this is the internet, where people are still inexplicably so blinded by hope that HL3 will ever actually come out that the moment someone at Valve farts you get a dozen threads by people analysing said farts and trying to determine any meaning for it.

Nothing to see here guys. Can we all just wait for an actual anouncment by Gabe or another Valve rep that contains the words "we're releasing Half Life 3" or some variation thereof before we all start going crazy?

And even then I'd wait until it's been confirmed by at least 10 other reputable sources.

[Bells]

i think we all agree by now that HL3 is the new Duke Nukem forever.......

that being said, what is the connection between China and Saturn? Also, yeah, this is probably something. If anything, my bet is on a big sale.

[Locke cole]

I refuse to accept that as a model of the solar sysem because it doesn't have Pluto.

Also, what is being pointed two by those first two dashes?

[Loyal]

i think we all agree by now that HL3 is the new Duke Nukem forever.......

Uh... no. HL3 hasn't even been announced yet. DNF's problem was that it was announced and then hyped up forever while being constantly delayed, again and again, over a period of over ten years with nothing to show for it. They aren't remotely similar.

[Bells]

yeah, it's even worst... cause it's a game being Hyped before it even existed!!

I refuse to accept that as a model of the solar sysem because it doesn't have Pluto.

Oooooooooooh don't you even start with that!!!

[Ryong]

that being said, what is the connection between China and Saturn?

It's Korean. This was driving me crazy.

With that out of the way:

Is Steam a thing in South Korea?

[Magus]

I assume if Valve has brains in their skulls Steam is a thing in South Korea.

[Arcanum]

And here come the Surgeon Sim devs to ruin the fun. (https://twitter.com/SurgeonSim2013/status/350549872459522048)

[Flarecobra]

Might be a red herring.

[akaSM]

I SAID GOOD DAY, SIR!

Flare is not a sir.

It was nice knowing you, Oshawott.

[Shyria Dracnoir]

Neither does fire, dingus.