Gentlemen, this is a mission of utmost importance. Succeed, and you will be rewarded handsomely - you will still be alive by the end.

The details to Fortress Faceoffs' newest covert operation have just been declassified! Teams of five avant-garde assassins will be brought to a new, top-of-the-line training course to perfect their fundamental skills of deadeye accuracy. To raise the stakes, all agents will only have one bullet in their revolvers at all times, and can only earn a new one through eliminating the enemy and confiscating their contraband! And yes, the documents really do contain this much alliteration in them.

Dare you miss your target, and you will be left with only your knife and your bravery. If you succeed in slashing your opponents to submission, you will also earn your bullet back. If you manage to backstab or headshot them, your next shot will be greatly improved with the power to pierce through multiple players! You can reserve these piercing charges for as long as you'd like, but don't get too cocky... or else you may not live long enough to use it!

Sign up today and wire the details to the top men in your secret circles! The games begin on August 11th @ 11:59 PM / 23:59 BST for all regions and will continue for roughly 2 weeks, though you do NOT have to actively participate this long! The top 8 teams will have their talent shown off live, proving once and for all that our tax dollars might actually be good for something! For more information about event rules, prizes, and more, join the Fortress Faceoffs Discord and try not to leave any traces behind!

Important Links:

• Discord
  
• Twitter
  
• Twitch
  
• YouTube
  
• Steam Group
  
• Challonge Event Page (Tournament Brackets)
  

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:

• Add ConVars to control Mann vs. Machine team limits on community servers
  
  
  • tf_mvm_defenders_team_size
    
  • tf_mvm_max_connected_players
  
  
• Fixed the Pastel Trance Unusual taunt effect not drawing two Balloonicorns
  
• Fixed names/descriptions for the most recent HugsTF medals
  
• Updated pl_venice
  
  
  • Gameplay
    
    
    • Relocated first Blu spawn (now split into two individual spawns at random)
      
    • Moved 1st Red spawn further away into a new room
      
    • Added new upper entrance into building next to Point A (thanks Delila)
      
    • Added new exit from 2nd Red spawn room
      
    • Moved a building entrance near Point A to a new walkway area above
      
    • Removed upper entrance and Point C routes in building next to Point B
      
    • Added new raised position at the main open inside area between Points C and D
      
    • Added new route near Point D
      
    • Added new cubby spot at Point D
      
    • Removed part of the balcony at the final Point
      
    • Widened door between 2nd Blu spawn and Point B
      
    • Removed a door to upper room near first Blu spawn & connected the balconies
      
    • Opened section of the building next to Point C for faffing and uber charging
      
    • Altered the underneath of the balcony at the building next to Point C
      
    • Tweaked roof area near Point B to make it easier to counter
      
    • Tweaked walkway between Points A and B
      
    • Added some minor cover near Point A
      
    • Lowered railing at above position near Point C for Turrets
      
    • Added cubbies across the map to improve gameplay for Engineer, Spy, etc.
      
    • Removed engineer building & added smoother clipping on the raised bridge
      
    • Added/removed/moved some health & ammo
    
    
  • Art
    
    
    • Improved lightmap scale across the map to produce nicer shadows
      
    • Increased saturation and slightly adjusted style of some materials
      
    • Expanded the 3d skybox and made it viewable from more locations across the map
      
    • Fixed flag models
      
    • Made certain areas feel less like empty spaces
    
    
  • Misc
    
    
    • Fixed strange missing texture error in middle connector
      
    • Fixed error in soundscapes
      
    • Added more direction signs across the map
      
    • Fixed misaligned payload particles
      
    • Boat near first Blu spawn has drifted off into the distance
      
    • Other minor changes
  
  

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:

• Add ConVars to control Mann vs. Machine team limits on community servers
  • tf_mvm_defenders_team_size
    
  • tf_mvm_max_connected_players
• Fixed the Pastel Trance Unusual taunt effect not drawing two Balloonicorns
  
• Fixed names/descriptions for the most recent HugsTF medals
  
• Updated pl_venice
  • Gameplay
    • Relocated first Blu spawn (now split into two individual spawns at random)
      
    • Moved 1st Red spawn further away into a new room
      
    • Added new upper entrance into building next to Point A (thanks Delila)
      
    • Added new exit from 2nd Red spawn room
      
    • Moved a building entrance near Point A to a new walkway area above
      
    • Removed upper entrance and Point C routes in building next to Point B
      
    • Added new raised position at the main open inside area between Points C and D
      
    • Added new route near Point D
      
    • Added new cubby spot at Point D
      
    • Removed part of the balcony at the final Point
      
    • Widened door between 2nd Blu spawn and Point B
      
    • Removed a door to upper room near first Blu spawn & connected the balconies
      
    • Opened section of the building next to Point C for faffing and uber charging
      
    • Altered the underneath of the balcony at the building next to Point C
      
    • Tweaked roof area near Point B to make it easier to counter
      
    • Tweaked walkway between Points A and B
      
    • Added some minor cover near Point A
      
    • Lowered railing at above position near Point C for Turrets
      
    • Added cubbies across the map to improve gameplay for Engineer, Spy, etc.
      
    • Removed engineer building & added smoother clipping on the raised bridge
      
    • Added/removed/moved some health & ammo
  • Art
    • Improved lightmap scale across the map to produce nicer shadows
      
    • Increased saturation and slightly adjusted style of some materials
      
    • Expanded the 3d skybox and made it viewable from more locations across the map
      
    • Fixed flag models
      
    • Made certain areas feel less like empty spaces
  • Misc
    • Fixed strange missing texture error in middle connector
      
    • Fixed error in soundscapes
      
    • Added more direction signs across the map
      
    • Fixed misaligned payload particles
      
    • Boat near first Blu spawn has drifted off into the distance
      
    • Other minor changes

hugs.tf officially returns for its first live event since 2018! Join a range of charity-loving hat enthusiasts for a weekend full of pubs, show matches, creative segments, jumping and The Big Fat TF2 Quiz. Raising money for nearly a decade, this year's donations will once again go to SpecialEffect to put fun and inclusion back into the lives of people with physical disabilities by helping them to play video games!

The two-day livestream will take place on July 29th and 30th, starting at 11am BST / 12pm CEST / 6am ET and won't stop all day! Donations are now open over at the hugs.tf donation page!

And it doesn't stop there as the famous hugs.tf medals are back to be claimed! Any donations of at least £10 GBP or more will receive an in-game medal reward, with different medals offered for higher donations.

You can catch all the action over at the EssentialsTF Twitch channel.

To donate and find out more information, head to the hugs.tf website and join the hugs.tf Discord server!

(Image credit: SFM - Bishop, Compositing - Deputy7)

Summer is finally here! Time for snow cones, sunglasses, and a chaotic clash of content creators in a 9v9 Highlander aimed to raise money for charity!

The Charity Cup brings a whole new spin on what would otherwise be a standard competitive highlander event! Content creators around the TF2 community have banded together in the name of charity and to beat the crap out of each other for your amusement! When donating during the live event, you can affect the game in many silly ways that affect both teams and may sway the odds during the match!

The event will support Starlight Children's Foundation. Bringing happiness to seriously ill children and their families, Starlight supports kids and families at more than 800 children’s hospitals and other health facilities in the US. They bring gaming stations to kids stuck in hospital beds, hospital wear for families that otherwise couldn't afford to have them, and so much more.

Spread the word and tune in on the 29th and 30th of July, @ 12:00pm / 3:00pm EDT for this two-day event representing creators from NA and EU! The event will be hosted live on Deputy7's Twitch channel! More information about donating can be found here!

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:

• Added check to make Mann vs. Machine invaders immune to pushback while leaving their spawn
  
• Added -unrestricted_maxplayers to raise the maxplayer count to 100 (feature is unsupported and not recommended)
  
• Fixed VSH and other player-destruction gamemodes leaking their HUDs into one another
  
• Fixed Saxton Hale's weapons showing up as being carried by an incorrect/invalid player in VSH
  
• Fixed Saxton Hale's weapons sometimes showing up as invalid in VSH
  
• Fixed a crash that can occur when changing from VSH to another map
  
• Fixed a crash that can occur related to MP3s on VSH maps
  
• Fixed a crash that can occur when using changing model detail setting or using r_flushlod
  
• Fixed a crash when going between two sv_pure servers with maps packing custom content
  
• Fixed changing model detail setting or using r_flushlod not always taking effect
  
• Fixed packed replacement materials/textures/models in a custom map could leak into other maps or rendering as wireframe
  
• Fixed custom particle overrides not being reloaded on servers without sv_pure
  
• Fixed game mode descriptions for some of the summer map stamps
  
• Fixed embedded workshop map soundscripts not being loaded on clients (community fix from 'Jakub' (ficool2))
  
• Fixed a crash when using the game_ui entity and players discconnecting (community fix from 'Jakub' (ficool2))
  
• Fixed teleporter particle effects (community fix from 'Jakub' (ficool2))
  
• Updated/Added some tournament medals
  
• Updated cp_altitude
  
  
  • Increased size of C capture area
    
  • Reduced initial round timer from 6 to 5 minutes
    
  • Increased max round timer length from 6 to 8 minutes
    
  • Increased Blu respawn wave time on A from 3 to 4
    
  • Increased Red respawn wave time on C from 8 to 9
    
  • Reduced Blu respawn wave time on C from 3 to 2
    
  • Various visual fixes and adjustments
  
  
• Updated koth_cascade
  
  
  • Various player and projectile collision fixes
    
  • Various visual fixes and adjustments
    
  • Adjusted resupply locker positions
  
  
• Updated cp_steel
  
  
  • Fixed missing glass from bullet blocked windows
    
  • Removed some more ceiling light collisions
    
  • Improved clipping around B -> C building
    
  • Small safety improvement to Blu flank balcony to B
    
  • Some extra block bullets around B floor
  
  
• Updated pl_phoenix
  
  
  • Increased Red respawn wave time on D from 8 to 9
    
  • Fixed projectile collision bug around the payload elevator track
    
  • Fixed a case where the payload cart could get stuck at the base of the elevator
    
  • Various clipping fixes
    
  • Various visual fixes
  
  
• Updated vsh_distillery, vsh_tinyrock, vsh_nucleus, vsh_skirmish
  
  
  • The script no longer forces mp_winlimit and mp_maxrounds to 0
    
  • Community servers now can expand the Script by creating a new file at scripts/vscripts/vsh_addons/main.nut
    
  • Community servers now can select the next Hale via SetNextBossByEntity, SetNextBossByEntityIndex and SetNextBossByUserId functions
    
  • The Diamondback now gains 2 guaranteed crits upon backstab
    
  • Hale's attacks now pierce through damage absorption of the Wrangler shield
    
  • Hale will now receive an instructional notification if they haven't performed a Brave Jump during the first 30 seconds of a round
    
  • Fixed bugs related to Your Eternal Reward's on-backstab disguise
    
  • Fixed Festive Eyelander not gaining heads on-hit
    
  • (Hopefully) Fixed Hale sometimes appearing to hold the Necro Smasher or the Sandvich
    
  • (Hopefully) Fixed some players being unable to punch as Hale ("A-posing")
    
  • Fixed Hale disappearing when the game tries (and fails) to gib him
    
  • Both sides dying simultaneously now counts as Stalemate
  
  
• Updated vsh_skirmish (additional changes)
  
  
  • Added a live feed to the office
    
  • Improved clipping in multiple areas
  
  

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:

• Added check to make Mann vs. Machine invaders immune to pushback while leaving their spawn
  
• Added -unrestricted_maxplayers to raise the maxplayer count to 100 (feature is unsupported and not recommended)
  
• Fixed VSH and other player-destruction gamemodes leaking their HUDs into one another
  
• Fixed Saxton Hale's weapons showing up as being carried by an incorrect/invalid player in VSH
  
• Fixed Saxton Hale's weapons sometimes showing up as invalid in VSH
  
• Fixed a crash that can occur when changing from VSH to another map
  
• Fixed a crash that can occur related to MP3s on VSH maps
  
• Fixed a crash that can occur when using changing model detail setting or using r_flushlod
  
• Fixed a crash when going between two sv_pure servers with maps packing custom content
  
• Fixed changing model detail setting or using r_flushlod not always taking effect
  
• Fixed packed replacement materials/textures/models in a custom map could leak into other maps or rendering as wireframe
  
• Fixed custom particle overrides not being reloaded on servers without sv_pure
  
• Fixed game mode descriptions for some of the summer map stamps
  
• Fixed embedded workshop map soundscripts not being loaded on clients (community fix from 'Jakub' (ficool2))
  
• Fixed a crash when using the game_ui entity and players discconnecting (community fix from 'Jakub' (ficool2))
  
• Fixed teleporter particle effects (community fix from 'Jakub' (ficool2))
  
• Updated/Added some tournament medals
  
• Updated cp_altitude
  • Increased size of C capture area
    
  • Reduced initial round timer from 6 to 5 minutes
    
  • Increased max round timer length from 6 to 8 minutes
    
  • Increased Blu respawn wave time on A from 3 to 4
    
  • Increased Red respawn wave time on C from 8 to 9
    
  • Reduced Blu respawn wave time on C from 3 to 2
    
  • Various visual fixes and adjustments
• Updated koth_cascade
  • Various player and projectile collision fixes
    
  • Various visual fixes and adjustments
    
  • Adjusted resupply locker positions
• Updated cp_steel
  • Fixed missing glass from bullet blocked windows
    
  • Removed some more ceiling light collisions
    
  • Improved clipping around B -> C building
    
  • Small safety improvement to Blu flank balcony to B
    
  • Some extra block bullets around B floor
• Updated pl_phoenix
  • Increased Red respawn wave time on D from 8 to 9
    
  • Fixed projectile collision bug around the payload elevator track
    
  • Fixed a case where the payload cart could get stuck at the base of the elevator
    
  • Various clipping fixes
    
  • Various visual fixes
• Updated vsh_distillery, vsh_tinyrock, vsh_nucleus, vsh_skirmish
  • The script no longer forces mp_winlimit and mp_maxrounds to 0
    
  • Community servers now can expand the Script by creating a new file at scripts/vscripts/vsh_addons/main.nut
    
  • Community servers now can select the next Hale via SetNextBossByEntity, SetNextBossByEntityIndex and SetNextBossByUserId functions
    
  • The Diamondback now gains 2 guaranteed crits upon backstab
    
  • Hale's attacks now pierce through damage absorption of the Wrangler shield
    
  • Hale will now receive an instructional notification if they haven't performed a Brave Jump during the first 30 seconds of a round
    
  • Fixed bugs related to Your Eternal Reward's on-backstab disguise
    
  • Fixed Festive Eyelander not gaining heads on-hit
    
  • (Hopefully) Fixed Hale sometimes appearing to hold the Necro Smasher or the Sandvich
    
  • (Hopefully) Fixed some players being unable to punch as Hale ("A-posing")
    
  • Fixed Hale disappearing when the game tries (and fails) to gib him
    
  • Both sides dying simultaneously now counts as Stalemate
• Updated vsh_skirmish (additional changes)
  • Added a live feed to the office
    
  • Improved clipping in multiple areas

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:

• Enabled Versus Saxton Hale (Community) support for Valve matchmaking servers
  

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:

• Enabled Versus Saxton Hale (Community) support for Valve matchmaking servers
  

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:

• Added main menu character for the Summer event
  
• Fixed pd_watergate capture zone not working properly
  
• Fixed geometry collision issue with the Wildflower Meadows Unusual effect
  
• Fixed the Deepsea Rave Unusual effect's ground particles not being visible on some surfaces
  
• Fixed Bubble Breeze, Global Clusters, Celestial Starburst, and Sylicone Succiduous Unusual effects not following moving players
  
• Fixed the Strange Filter prefix for pd_selbyen
  
• Fixed broken materials for the second style of the Cranium Cover
  
• Updated koth_sharkbay
  
  
  • Fixed the flying boat
    
  • Removed collision from seagulls
    
  • Updated Map Stamp icons
  
  
• Updated cp_hardwood_final
  
  
  • Fixed a crash affecting a small number of players
    
  • Minor clipping adjustments throughout the map
    
  • Minor lighting issues fixed throughout the map
    
  • Adjusted areaportalwindow fade brush textures
    
  • Adjusted collisions for some props
  
  
• Updated cp_steel
  
  
  • More blockbullet /clipbrush swaps where needed
    
  • Fixed some stairs/ramp brushes needed to be extended to the bottom of the ramp
    
  • Fixed more small unnecessary prop collision/clip removals
    
  • Fixed blatant texture misalignment
    
  • Addressed perch spot outside Red spawn on wood beam
    
  • Closed some accidental holes in geometry
    
  • Additional fixes to a sticky/shooting exploit through and under Red's E platform area
    
  • Increased pit damage to kill some certain class loadouts in a single trigger
    
  • Moved Blu spawns forward a little to previous distance
    
  • Extended projectile blocker brush along the top side of the Blu spawn building's roof
    
  • Fixed Sniper sightline into Red's first spawn points from E
  
  
• Updated koth_rotunda
  
  
  • Aligned various textures and fixed cubemap issue
    
  • Improved clipping
    
  • Improved lighting and reduced visual noise on some textures
    
  • Raised gate to flank route for ease of access
    
  • Aligned some props
    
  • Fixed out-of-bounds exploit related to func_tracktrain (Thank you, The Nubing!)
    
  • Added missing collision to some props
    
  • Sealed the map more
  
  
• Updated cp_sulfur
  
  
  • Fixed a case where Blu could win too well and lock the timer, not correctly allowing them to win when their timer hit 0 and they owned the main control point
    
  • Fixed a case where Blu could contest their own win
    
  • Fixed a case where you could build a teleporter under a platform and become trapped
    
  • Altered Blu spawn positions to better lead players towards the point they should be attacking during different states of the game
    
  • Altered Red spawn positons to spread them out when defending main point
    
  • Lowered Red's initial time to defend slightly
    
  • Convinced the boiling water to properly scald people that are submerged below the surface
    
  • Gravity density in the potplants has been correctly calibrated
    
  • Reduced time added to Red's clock when Blu captures A, B and C slightly - further calibration going forward
    
  • B can no longer be capped from the outside of the building
    
  • Area under Point A can no longer be accessed
    
  • Fixed numerous perch points, clipping errors and small visual errors - special thanks to Wicket on Steam discussions for reporting most of these
  
  
• Updated pd_selbyen
  
  
  • Fixed exploit that would let you build in spawn
    
  • Seal will now select a random skin every time it teleports to the break room (3 possible skins)
    
  • Adjusted oob seal animation timings
    
  • Fixed seal swimming animation
    
  • Added missing resupply cabinet on the Blu side
    
  • Added some missing clipping that would let players build in undesirable places
    
  • Fixed some floating windows
    
  • Fixed some props clipping through stuff
    
  • Fixed some displacements clipping through stuff
    
  • Fixed some displacement seams
    
  • Fixed some visible nodraws
    
  • Fixed some z-fighting
    
  • Various detailing additions
  
  
• Updated vsh_distillery, vsh_tinyrock, vsh_nucleus, vsh_skirmish
  
  
  • TF_Bots now function in Versus Saxton Hale
    
  • Fixed first-person spectators not seeing Hale's arms glow when he uses his abilities
    
  • Fixed players dropping Player Destruction pickups
    
  • Fixed Hale sometimes holding Necro Smasher or Sandvich
    
  • Fixed Hale's "Dispenser Down..." line playing for any type of building destroyed
    
  • By community request, added Pyro VSH lines, performed by James McGuinn
    
  • Updated VSH voice lines for Spy
    
  • "Behind you" and "Above you" now play exclusively for the player the line is addressed to
    
  • Reduced the frequency of Hale's on-kill lines with more than 20 players currently alive
    
  • Mad Milk recharge rate returned to stock value
    
  • Demoman's Swords now deal less knockback than other melee weapons
    
  • Demoman's Shields will now break when absorbing a Hale punch
    
  • Fixed a bug relating to sending a class-restricted duel to Hale during Setup
  
  
• Updated vsh_skirmish (additional changes)
  
  
  • Fixed an exploit that allowed players to build out of bounds
    
  • Added decals to ammo pack locations throughout the map
  
  
• Updated vsh_distillery (additional change)
  
  
  • Fixed crash when using mat_phong 0