Valve Shuts Down Fan-Made Team Fortress 2 Remake—Here's Why

Amper Software, the team behind Team Fortress: Source 2, an ambitious fan-made project to recreate Team Fortress 2 in the Source 2 engine, announced today that they are shutting down the undertaking. The decision comes after the team received a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notice from Valve, the developers of Team Fortress 2.

Facepunch's s&box Overhaul Causes Setback

The fan project had been progressing steadily, with over 20 volunteers showcasing character classes and completing work on a full map. However, Facepunch's announcement regarding significant changes to s&box, the engine upon which Team Fortress: Source 2 is built, threw a wrench into their plans. Facepunch mentioned that these changes were essential for the long-term improvement of s&box but would render existing games unplayable, affecting Team Fortress: Source 2.

In response, Amper Software decided to put the project on hold until the future of s&box became clearer and more stable. The team expressed support for the changes but acknowledged the severe cost of the overhaul, rendering their current work unusable.

Valve Issues DMCA Takedown, Sealing the Project's Fate

The situation took a turn for the worse when Valve issued a DMCA takedown on all public GitHub repositories related to Team Fortress: Source 2. Amper Software had already contemplated discontinuing the project due to s&box's changes, but Valve's legal action solidified their decision. The team tweeted their acceptance of Valve's actions, acknowledging Valve's right to protect their intellectual property.

However, amidst the closure, some skepticism lingers. A few voices, including Gloomwood developer Dillon Rogers, mentioned a recent fake DMCA takedown for the Open Xray mod in Stalker. While the likelihood of a mistake seems slim, it adds a slight uncertainty to the fate of Team Fortress: Source 2.