Summary
We’re taking a break fromHalf-Life 3today, because Valve might have another unannounced project in the works.
Reddit user u/dirtkiller23uncovered a new string in the latestDeadlockupdate labelled ‘Tf’, which has since beenverified by reputable dataminer and leaker Tyler McVicker.Going by those two letters alone, it’s very likely something to do withTeam Fortress, but nobody knows what.
This is not a random string that could be left over from a previous thing. This is a string, based on how the file is formatted, that is newer than both Deadlock andCounter-Strike 2. This is a recent change.
As the string was found in a Source 2 folder, some have speculated that ‘Tf’ is simply a port, similar to what Counter-Strike 2 andDota 2received. However, McVicker said that’s “probably not” the case because it would be flagged as ‘Tf_imported’ or ‘Tf_Source_2’, and the work for a port was already done back in 2014.
Others believe it might be a sequel or spin-off, but that’s entirely speculative. Nobody knows what ‘Tf’ is right now. All we can say is that a Team Fortress projectmightbe in the works, if that’s what ‘Tf’ even stands for.
Team Fortress Fans, Take This With A Grain Of Salt
While this news is exciting, evident by the number of fans latching onto two letters with more hope than they’ve had in years, it’s worth considering a few things. Valve is infamous for cancelling unannounced projects, so whatever ‘Tf’ is might not survive to release. We’ve seen this with Left 4 Dead 3 and older iterations of Half-Life 3 — leaks don’t mean anything until Valve actually reveals the game.
Another key point to consider is that Deadlock began life as ‘Citadel’, a clear riff on Half-Life, andcredible leaker Gabe Follower claimed that it was originally set during the Seven Hour Warin which the “Combine fought against the rebels [in] the streets of City 17”. However, Citadel became Neon Prime, and Neon Prime became Deadlock, shedding the Half-Life roots entirely. ‘Tf’, if it makes it that far, could do the same.
But who knows? Maybe Team Fortress fans are finally getting a new game after nearly two decades. We’ll have to wait and see, but we’ve been sifting through HLX leaks for three years now, so we might be waiting for a while.
