14 DAY TRIAL // An inside source has revealed that video game developer Valve is working on a new game called Stars of Barathrum, which involves combat in space with a variety of ships and pilot skills.
The information comes from a gaming forum called Facepunch, which is citing an unnamed source inside the game development company.
The rumor says that players will be able to pilot a number of types of ships in order to explore a vast open world where they can choose their quests and then battle with a number of other characters for resources and loot.
The most obvious comparisons are with older titles like Freelancer and Freespace, which were critical hits when they were launched but failed to sell well and caused the entire genre to collapse.
Valve certainly has the development talent and the resources required to create a deep space based simulation and it can also use its Steam digital distribution service to reach a wide audience.
The forum also links Stars of Barathrum with concept art hat was created by Peter Koenig, who has worked with Valve from 2008 to earlier this year.
He has since worked as a freelancer and it is impossible to tell whether the art is linked to the new supposed Valve project or another of his projects.
Valve is a company well-known for aiming to be original in its video games and Stars of Barathrum certainly seems like an idea that would have a big impact on the gaming industry as we know it today.
The developer also has a reputation for working on its biggest titles in secrecy right up until the launch date so it is highly unlikely that the company will comment directly on the rumors.
For some time rumors have also suggested that Valve is also working on Half-Life 3 and on another entry in the Left for Dead series.