The developer team behind Team Fortress 2 Classified, EMINOMA, has partnered with the independent TF2C Mapping Community (TF2CMC) -supported and led by the very same host of AltTAB servers- to organize the first official TF2 Classified mapping contest. Following the footsteps of the 2010 art pass competition of TF2, the participants are tasked with taking a de-artpassed version of a map originally created by Waugh101, now renamed arena_competition_template, and using it as a blank canvas to create their own art passed version, under an original name. The winner will have their version hosted on AltTAB Standard and VaultF4 Custom Maps servers for the forseeable future, in addition to receiving supporter perks on both servers.

The contest was announced on TF2CMC Discord server three days ago on July 6, with submission due six weeks later, on August 24. There are already around a dozen submissions on the #artpass-contest-submissions channel of the Discord server, where mapmakers are sharing their work in progress. Themes range from Yukon-like Canadian environment to industrial harbor. The map is relatively compact, so there is still plenty of time for mappers to join the contest and present their own vision of what the level could become. Even if you are not a mapper, the TF2CMC Discord is a great place to admire these new creations and join the weekly playtests with a community of creative individuals.

Note that, just two days before the contest was announced, TF2 Classified released its Modding Tools–a small but thoughtful gift to mappers and modders alike.

Thanks to the release of these tools on Steam, it’s now easier than ever to get started using Hammer for TF2C. Eminoma’s provided guides and example VMFs are perfect for learning TF2C’s style, and this contest is a great opportunity to have a go yourself. – Jaws, TF2CMC Lead and AltTAB Owner

The last of its kind in the Team Fortress Classic scene, Final Fortress League is nine weeks into its Season 3. After its 6-team debut season primarily played in 5v5, and a second season with 4 teams successfully achieving 7v7s, its third run is again having 4 teams competing against each other in 5v5 or 7v7 settings, depending on the map and circumstances. According to the organizer KingOfPests the current player count could support a 6-team season again, if two more players stepped up to captain teams.

The flexible match format leaves room for adaptation and experimentation. For larger maps teams may jointly decide to play 7v7, or they may agree on 5v5 for small maps. Unlike the active pick-up game systems like ETFC‘s or NoNamePickups, FFL’s usual game mode is ADL (Attack/Defend League) rather than CTF (Capture The Flag). When CTF is played, however, FFL adds its own twist. Depending on the map and the player count, teams may decide to allow offense and defense simultaneously for both teams, instead of the common practise of taking turns in offense and defense for an equal amount of time.

For now it’s all North American teams including some South American players, however, there are plans for the next season to attract European participation by playing the matches at 16:00 EST. Rosters are not locked, and one of the teams, Second to none [220], is currently said to be open for recruiting.

Before the Finals to be held in Week 13 – 15, there are three more weeks left to be played. All matches are scheduled for 20:30 EST by default. One of the two matches in a week is always played on Pip’s Server [Aron’s Classic CTF], and the other one on Old School TFC (OST) which can be watched live in their respective HLTV servers. Aside from these, individual players also stream live on Twitch. The default match times and scheduling are subject to change, so anyone looking to catch some top TFC action should join the Discord server and ask around to stay up to date.

📺 Live in-game TV
Pip’s HLTV: connect 162.248.93.191:27020
OST HLTV: connect 192.169.81.61:27019

🔴 Live Twitch streams
MightyMouse -FOOC- Twitch channel
KingOfPests .rQ Cpt. Twitch channel
KuKu [220] Twitch channel
Nookie -5picy Twitch channel
Asie -FOOC- Cpt. Twitch channel
PurpleGoose .rQ Twitch channel
Nomad [220] Twitch channel

CustomTF is the QuakeWorld mod where alongside the standard 9 TF classes, players are presented with the option to build a custom class, purchasing its weapons and specialities with a fixed amount of credits they are initially granted. It offers one of the most alive pub scenes in Quake, and is still being maintained by one of the few most prolific developers of its three-decades-long history, along with a FuhQuake-based dedicated client called “Prozac”.

Quake 2, some people’s favorite in the series, has never had a playable Fortress mod, let alone being blessed with their variety as Quake 1/QW is. Although there is evidence that a Quake 2 Fortress development had started and died back in the day, the mod Quake 2 is remembered by has always been Action Quake 2, the spiritual predecessor of Counter-Strike. However, for more than a year now, CustomTF is being developed for Quake 2, and is weekly getting beta-tested. The playtests were given a break during spring, but recently took off again, and is happening at Kilam’s server, quake.kesselle.org, every Thursday at 8 PM EST. Join the Prozac CustomTF Discord server for instructions on how to get the client and connect.

I think the Quake 2 engine usage for this mod really improves the experience. I invite everyone to play with us on Thursdays, even if it’s still in beta stage. It’s fun! – OfteN, Developer

The original CustomTF on QW has 15 class-building menus, each presenting 7 purchasable weapons or specialities. OfteN reports that 75% of the weapons are implemented, and overall 90% of the whole mod. They are still lacking stuff like class models, but everything will come around eventually. Join up on Thursdays to be a part of the latest Fortress expansion.

Deathmatch Classic (DMC) is the tribute of Valve to id Software’s Quake, initially released as a free mod of Half-Life, and is essentially a remake of Quake in the GoldSrc engine. CoaXion (games) has just shared devlog #6, the first progress update after two years, of their DMC remake, called DMC: Refragged. You can either read about it on their web post, supported by screen shots and videos, or watch the full video version below.

While DMC:R isn’t the most popular of Coaxion’s projects, it’s gained a small consistent fanbase that I appreciate the support of. This game will likely never be very popular or have a consistent player count on Steam, but it’s not being built with player count in mind. It’s meant to be like a sort of game you play on a game night, which is exactly what we plan to do weekly or bi-weekly once it releases. If there are servers with consistent players, that’d be a cool bonus too. – MTD, Project Lead

DMC:R is currently in a closed alpha state, and is accepting new playtesters whose free time works with DMC:R’s playtesting times. You can fill out the related application form linked on the dmcr-faq channel of their Discord server. There is more to find there, as CoaXion is also the developer of the highly-anticipated TF2 mod called Lambda Fortress, which brings the TF2 classes into the Half-Life 2 campaign for a co-op experience.

You can watch below the latest DMC:R gameplay video, shared together with the devlog. If you are hungry for more, aside from applying to be a playtester, you can also follow the GoldSrc Saturdays platform to catch an old-school DMC event.

The last weekend of spring 2026 is bringing Team Fortress 2 fans top-tier live action for the game mode and time zone of their choice.

The first one is the ETF2L Highlander (9v9) Season 35 (Spring 2026) Grand Final between 3AM and GANJA. The backbone of 3AM is the 16 times ETF2L highlander champions SDCK, who had broken up in the near past. There was not enough written coverage on the topic at the time, and it’s never too late to learn more about it.

We broke up in 2024, but not because we wanted to, but because we felt there was no other choice – several members of our squad refused to continue participating in ETF2L for as long as people we strongly believed were cheating were allowed to continue playing in the league with us. I took up an offer to offclass for a div1 team the following season, and the season after 3AM was created by former SDCK members laiky and mezzo and they asked me to play engie for that team with the single goal of trying to beat the team that had a cheater on it, the goal we managed to achieve in our first season together. – Clark

If ETF2L Highlander AFA (All F*ckingFun Autumn) 2025 is counted, which also had solid competition, 3AM is going for its third consecutive championship. GANJA, on the other hand, is no easy bite either. After being formed three years ago and winning the league over SDCK in their first season, GANJA was disbanded after playing a second one, for reasons similar to those of SDCK. They are back this season, after almost two years of not touching the game at all. Now let’s hear the final thoughts from the members of each team.

Recently we all hopped back in for “one game” and somehow it felt like old times again. Same trash talk, same chaos, same late night sessions. We realized we never really quit because we hated the game — we quit because the game stopped being fun for a while. Now we’re back to remind people why ganja was feared in the first place.

Only difference now is there’s a new mountain to climb. Everyone keeps talking about Clark and his squad 3AM like they run the scene. They’ve been farming wins while we were gone, and apparently nobody’s been able to shut them down. So now the comeback story ain’t just about returning — it’s about proving the old kings still got it. If we want the crown back, we gotta go through Clark and 3AM first. – blank

We are looking forward to tomorrow’s match. Ganja is a good team and SDCK actually lost a final against them back in 2023, but we are as prepared as we can be and having beaten them already in the upper bracket final, we are confident we can do it again. SDCK players like myself, laiky and mezzo have a 100% winrate on Upward, a record that’s been held by SDCK for over 10 years now and we fully intend to keep that record going for longer, and Upward will be the 1st map we play tomorrow. – Clark

This great grand final will be streamed, and commentated on, live by Fireside Casts at 21:15 CET (19:15 UTC) on Saturday. 🔴

The action to be watched a few hours before that is of the main competitive game mode of TF2, 6v6, and from AsiaFortress’ Grand Final of Spring 2026 season.