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Half-Life 2: Episode 2, Half-Life: Alyx, and Left 4 Dead 2 have all received a mysterious new achievement entitled ‘Gnome Alone’.
READ MORE: What we can learn from a decade of cancelled Valve projects
The familiar gnome, Gnome Chompski, appeared first in Half-Life 2: Episode 2 where he could be escorted to the rocket at the White Forest Base for a surprise achievement.
Similar incentives to transport the character have appeared in the two most recent games also, and he now seems to be getting a starring role in a charity campaign.
The description of the achievement reads: “If you are reading this achievement, Gabe Newell has successfully launched Gnome Chompski into space. If you did not also receive the achievement ‘Manufacturing Ascent’, Newell has abandoned his plans to shoot Noam Chomsky into space.”
Our next launch features a very special mass simulator – a 3D printed Half-Life Gnome Chompski created for @valvesoftware co-founder Gabe Newell by design studio @WetaWorkshop.
For every person who watches the launch online, Gabe will donate $1 to Starship Children’s Hospital. pic.twitter.com/MItk7Ffr2R
— Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) November 2, 2020
The gnome’s journey is looking far more tangible this time around, with his involvement in an actual launch that took place last night. A 3D printed Gnome Chompski was aboard the payload of Rocket Lab’s latest launch experiment, designed to test the 3D printing capabilities of future rocket components. His descent back to earth will be monitored and used to inform future trials.
Missed today's launch? Watch the replay! For the next 24 hours, every unique view will count towards the donation total for Starship children's hospital. https://t.co/TnkwflkVhA
— Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) November 20, 2020
Gabe Newell has announced that for every view of the video in the following 24 hours, he will donate $1 to the Starship Children’s Hospital in Auckland, Australia.
There is no news yet on how to actually unlock the achievement, but once the 24 hours are up it is thought it may happen for everyone simultaneously.
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