From Bread to Ducks: Speculative guide showcasing the newest hype.

The TF2 Team has already surprises us with a lot of hype and excitement over something as simple as bread, and it looks like they are doing it again with yet another barely related object: Rubber Ducks.

Introduction

Valve is known for having massive ARG's and building up to events over long periods of time. Mann versus Machine dates back to around 2010 with it's earliest hinting. Bread was mentioned for a very long time. Pyromania was only going to be released once the community solved it's riddle.
Yet, other times we have the Two Cities Update which came out of nowhere and added some significant content in such a sudden update.

Truth is, we don't ever know what Valve is up to, but we can guess. And recently there has been some controversy over duck-related signs within the game. With End Of The Line literaly approaching like an unstoppable train, Asteriod and Cactus Canyon lingering on the side, as well as the Christmas and Halloween Update practically confirmed, people are wondering, "Is anything huge about to happen within the next couple days or weeks?" So what could possibly be instigating these thoughts to arise among the community?

The Bulk of the Conspiracy

August 28, 2013: James McVinnie, the author of highly successful SFM video Practical Problems, uploads a trailer for a project he began to work on called End Of The Line. People got excited and were waiting for it to be released. Among them were Valve employees themselfs, which were so impressed with the potential it had, they took this oppertunity to ask McVee if he'd be willing to take his SFM idea to the next level and revolve an entirely community-made update around it. This was quickly accepted and what went from a minor video he worked on as a hobby became a 15-minute movie to be released alongside an update.

The video itself doesn't make much connection to it's release, besides the snowfall which might hint it being around the fall/winter months. There is a Pyro, however, at the beginning, which is sitting in a team-colored pool[imgur.com]. This little easter-egg like sight actually has more meaning than just comic relief.

August 11, 2014: Almost a year after EOTL is made publicly known, McVee posts an announcement on his group which mentions public beta testing for the new map, Snowplow. This not only signifies that the update might be drawing near, but there are some features on the map itself. Noticably, besides the Engineer nest up in the glitched spot, there are a bunch of rubber ducks in a few versions of the map. And they're in the Pyro's locker[imgur.com]. Is this a possible connection with the Pyro sitting in the kiddie pool in the EOTL trailer?

September 18, 2014: TF2 receives an update. A new flamethrower is added, Alien Scouts invade TF2, and we get new crates. One of which is a crate in a swimming pool with a rubber duck modelled after the Pyro's appearence. In case you have not seen it yet, this is what it looks like.[imgur.com]

McVee states that he "was surprised by this crate design too but it is not EOTL," and that, "Our (their) deisgn (design supposedly) was just recently approved though." Whether or not you believe him is up to you, but take a look at the facts we have:

• The trailer shows a Pyro in a kids swimming pool.
  
• Rubber Duckies are usually associated with young children in water.
  
• The Pyro's locker in Snowplow is/was filled with Rubber Ducks.
  
• The new crate has a Rubber Duckyro (I guess) along with it.
  
• Remember the Summer Appetizer crate? And how it visually mentioned bread?
  
• You know how this is also a "Summer Crate," but late? Summer Appetizer = early summer, referenced incoming big update, Late Summer = well, late summer, so could this also hint at a big update?

Sorry McVee, but I'm not about to fully agree that this crate is unrelated to EOTL. Even if it's not for the update, there is some major pointers towards EOTL content incoming.

Possibly Relevent Information

NOTE: The following statements may or may not have anything to do with the ducks or EOTL, but if McVee is honest to us and Valve might have something else in mind, then this might be good to know.

The Mildly Disturbing Halloween Mask, when worn on the Pyro, displayes a bird instead of a monster face like the other classes. The bird looks very similar to a duck.

The Deadliest Duckling and Quackenbirdt also might relate to Ducks, but this is unlikely as the Hitman Series already has Rubber Ducks as a running gag.

Mann Manor, the Halloween Counterpart to Mountain Lab, contains 9 hidden rubber ducks around the map. This may not seem that important, but both Mountain Lab and Snowplow are community maps, so it could be a very vague reference.

There is opted out text[i.imgur.com] on the Late Summer Crate that says it expires on October 13th, 2014. This either means a big update will happen shortly or a small update will happen later instead. In any case, something is around the corner
NOTE: The crates are now openable and this no longer applies. It does mean, however, that EOTL is like to not come out until after October 13th or even the rest of October.

McVee said on his tumblr, when someone asked him "what's with the ducks?" that it was the "mystery of the ages."

Closing Remarks and Sources

We may not know where TF2 is heading right now, but there are definitely some pointers in the direction of "massive update" related things. Remember: this is purely speculative and does NOT confirm anything.

Thank you for reading this guide, I hope it helped you understand more about what's going on in TF2 right now! Go ahead and share this with other people you know to spread the word around just in case they didn't know or are curious. I mean, what do I have to gain from this? Don't really care about popularity, not like anyone wants to be my friend in the first place. I just felt like sharing what I know with all of you.

SOURCES USED:
The TF2 Official Wiki, I don't suppose I have to link you there. Used for images and other information.
This Steam Forums Thread
This Reddit Thread
This tumblr Post[jmcvee.tumblr.com]
This idiots own thoughts



LAST UPDATED ON SEPTEMBER 29, 6:31 PM

[Kaarel]

BONUS DUCKS

[hawkblade100]

EOTL DUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sister Clementia]

Besides ducks, what about the new EOTL crate?

[Elson]

OMG, you where right! XD

[mr. mosquito]

THE DUCKS FROM THE NEW HALLOWEEN EVENT. YOU WERE RIGHT.