Valve Keeps Team Fortress 2 Fans in the Loop About Mann vs. Machine Update

Valve hasn’t forgotten about Team Fortress 2’s beloved cooperative mode, Mann vs. Machine, and they’ve given players a little nudge to remind them that work is still underway. It might feel like ages since the initial announcement in June last year, and to be fair, it has been quite a while without much update.

Back in June, Valve put out a call on TF2’s official blog, inviting players to submit new maps and missions for the update, aiming for a fictional deadline around August 27. After that date came and went, Valve briefly checked in with a progress report in September, but fans have been left in the dark for the last ten months. Until now!

Recently, Valve popped into their blog to assure fans, stating, “We wanted to give everyone an update on the update we already gave on the update we’re working on, and here it is: We’re still working on the MvM update.” That’s definitely a step in the right direction!

While it might sound a bit vague, Valve clarified that sorting through all the new content and changes has taken longer than they initially expected, but they’re making strides. They expressed their gratitude for the community’s patience, which is always heartening to hear.

This situation aligns with what Valve mentioned back in September—an overwhelming number of community contributions came in, far exceeding their expectations. They admitted back then that they didn’t have a specific release date yet but were actively going through all the submissions.

Despite the fact that Valve could ramp up resources to speed up the update process, their unique company structure means that developers often shift between projects based on interest and demand. This year alone has been packed with various priority projects, from launching the Steam Machine to the upcoming Steam Frame, alongside ongoing work on titles like Deadlock.

Although major updates for TF2 are few and far between, the game still receives regular minor patches. Just earlier this month, players were treated to an update that introduced a bunch of community maps, cosmetics, and taunts, followed by several smaller patches to address bugs and make adjustments.

So, while we eagerly wait for the Mann vs. Machine update, it’s great to see Valve keeping the community informed and engaged. Who knows, maybe we’ll be battling those robotic foes sooner than we think!