Team Fortress 2, Which Was Released 16 Years Ago, Just Broke A Player Record

Valve’s PC multiplayer game Team Fortress 2 was released 16 years ago, in 2007, but the game continues to grow and set new records. After the launch of a big new update, Team Fortress 2 saw its all-time player peak climb to more than 250,000 people this week.

The July 12 update for Team Fortress 2 added a host of new content, including 14 new community maps, as well as additional taunts, effects, and cosmetics. It also kicked off a new Summer event in Team Fortress 2 that runs until September 15.

In short, it marked a good time to return to Team Fortress 2, and plenty of people did. According to SteamDB (via Kotaku), the game reached 253,997 players earlier today, July 13, to set a new record. The game jumped up the Most Played charts on Steam’s website, trailing only Apex Legends, PUBG, Dota 2, and CS: GO.

Beyond the new content, the July update for Team Fortress 2 introduced some welcome security and stability improvements and fixed a series of bugs. For more, check out the full patch notes.

Team Fortress 2 adopted a free-to-play business model on PC in 2012, and the game has enjoyed ongoing success from its dedicated playerbase over the years. A console edition of Team Fortress 2 was released for Xbox 360 and PS3 but is no longer supported.

Over the years, Team Fortress 2 has seen resurgences in players, and now it’s happening again. Whether or not Valve will ever make a third Team Fortress game remains to be seen, however.

Team Fortress 2 Summer Update

• Featuring 14 new community maps: Sharkbay, Rotunda, Phoenix, Cashworks, Venice, Reckoner, Sulfur, Hardwood, Pelican Peak, Selbyen, VSH Tiny Rock, VSH Distillery, VSH Skirmish, and VSH Nucleus
• Added the Summer 2023 Cosmetic Case
  • Contains 25 new community-contributed items
• Added 6 new community-contributed taunts to the Mann Co. Store
  • Taunt: Killer Joke
  • Taunt: Star-Spangled Strategy
  • Taunt: The Head Doctor
  • Taunt: Tuefort Tango
  • Taunt: The Road Rager
  • Taunt: The Killer Signature
• Added 20 new community-created Unusual effects
  • 12 new effects for Unusual hats
  • 8 new effects for Unusual taunts
• Added the Summer 2023 War Paint Case
  • Contains 10 new community-created War Paints that make-up the Summer 2023 Collection
  • Has a chance to give a taunt Unusualifier as a bonus item
• All cosmetic and taunt cases will grant Summer 2023 Unusual effects instead of their normal Unusual effects during the Summer event. This does not include crates.
• The Summer event runs through September 15th, 2023

General

• Security and stability improvements
• Fixed the Mann vs. Machine upgrade panel closing after receiving a matchmaking party invite
• Fixed an exploit related to the ConTracker and being able to move/shoot while it’s deployed
• Fixed the Strange Count Transfer Tool not being able to transfer stats for Sandvich items
• Fixed the Engineer not being able to move for a short period of time after doing The High Five taunt
• Fixed missing No Headphones style for the Universal Translator
• Fixed Engineer teleporter audio that was referencing the dispenser by mistake in Spanish
• Fixed incorrect alpha channels for the Smissmas 2021/2022 Cosmetic Case models
• Fixed the Winter 2019 War Paint Case not being shown in the Mann Co. Store
• Updated/Added some tournament medals
• Updated pl_enclosure_final to fix localization issues
• Updated cp_gravelpit_snowy
  • Boosted volume of snowman explosions
  • Added occluders to C to improve performance
  • Improved clipping
• Updated cp_steel
  • Prop collision cleanup and improved player clipping
  • Explosive splash bug collisions on stairs, props, etc., around the map
  • Spawn point issues (collision, prop blocking, clipping, etc.)
  • Fix Pyro door exploit on A
  • Fix choke and spam issues into Blu & Red spawns
  • Fix Pixel walk collision issues
  • Fixing ceiling clipping and stuck spots including exploits
  • Clean up geometry in spawns, the spawn locations and their exits
  • Fix roof readability issues, with sticky and rocket jumping
  • Fix rare double death bug when falling into pit
  • Fix Cliff stuck spots and ledges in E pit
  • Removed head glitch tele spawn on A-B connector
  • Fix rare overtime cap bug
  • Fix Red team getting stuck in spawn door to A
• Updated cp_mossrock
  • Fixed numerous perch points
  • Fixed players being able to get under Blu spawn
  • Fixed a location where a teleporter could be build out of the map
  • Fixed collision on rock near final point so it is more accurate to the visuals
  • Fixed lots of small visual bugs
  • Fixed some small exploits
  • Improved optimisation