Half-Life 3 appears to be in purgatory at Valve, but fans are keeping it alive, albeit with a trolling meme that also voices their impatience.

For years now, the phrase "Half-Life 3 confirmed" has become the thing that all Half-Life fans look for on the internet. Yet despite a few close calls with speculation and leaked pictures, Half-Life 3 remains a mystery.

Half-Life 3 fans have since taken to Twitter with "Half-Life 3 confirmed" to showcase the absurdity of the wait, as well as the lengths people are going to speculate on its existence.

@conorrrrr_ 3 major holidays, we spend half our lives in school, Half life 3 confirmed.

— Scott (@hicky1101) September 16, 2013

3 dogs.... HALF LIFE 3 CONFIRMED! pic.twitter.com/dDPan71kWI — dafuq ? (@dafuqpic) September 9, 2013

11 more days! 3 words?!!?? HALF-LIFE 3 CONFIRMED!

— Dragonborn Dodger (@Bakumaun) September 16, 2013

I gave Rayman Legends a 4.5, @Xav gave GTAV a 4.5, you know what that means? Half Life 3 confirmed! — Mike Wehner (@MikeWehner) September 16, 2013

Only got 3 emails today. HALF LIFE 3 CONFIRMED

— Franz Jdawg Galam (@JdawgFremy) September 16, 2013

Both IGN and Game of Thrones hit a million followers on the same day. Game of Thrones = 3 words. IGN = 3 letters. HALF LIFE 3 CONFIRMED?! — Justin Fassino (@Justegarde) September 12, 2013

Three empty chairs and three light lines from the curtains. Half-Life 3 is finally confirmed. pic.twitter.com/gm1JV1ycdI

— Christopher 並天道虫 (@Kurisuellegarde) August 11, 2013

The new doctor is the G-man, Half life 3 confirmed #halflife3 #doctorwho pic.twitter.com/MxXOSnYRFO — LDF (@LDFcorp) August 4, 2013

And it appears that even Valve itself sees the project as something of a joke, as seen by their employee handbook.

On page 22, you can see a sketch of a Valve employee sporting a Half-Life 3 T-shirt.

And yet, despite all this hype and buzz, Half-Life 3 remains invisible.