How would Valve theoretically shut down TF2?

[libadwaita (she/her)]

I see a lot of people talk about shutting down TF2 as part of #KillTF2 or whatever, yet nobody seems to explain what that would practically entail or how Valve would manage to do it.

I think many people think of it in the same way as shutting down some modern multiplayer game (i.e Fortnite or Overwatch 2) but unlike modern multiplayer games like those, TF2 doesn't need Valve servers in order to function at a baseline level.

You might not have access to your backpack, or not be able to join Casual, but everyone would just migrate over to community servers anyways. Valve has no say in how community servers are ran and Valve cannot shut them down. Most modern multiplayer games can be shut down because there are no community servers and thus the game cannot be played if those behind the game shuts their game servers down.

Unless Valve goes to the lengths of removing TF2 from Steam (and even than, with the amount of TF2 forks that would be tricky noways, and it would still probably remain in your library to play) it will be impossible to shut down TF2, at least completely.

[HarmonikaGuy]

yeah i mean you are right, they really couldnt

[Lady Alcina Dimitrescu]

They simply can't.

Everyone who supports #KillTF2 only exist to annoy others.
But they're even more cringe and annoying than #SaveTF2 players.
Which is a really hard bar to cross.

[BISEXUAL HAMSTER #FIXTF2]

TF2 won't shut down yet, maybe not for another 10 years or so if the game is still relevant. it's still bringing revenue to valve thanks to the mann co store and it's economy, which is why they still push yearly seasonal updates.

honestly we will portably never see another major update from valve again but at least the community's workshop is still producing content for the game and they're really pushing the limits of the source engine which is already two decades old. not to mention the countless memes and content produced by the tf2 community the game is still thriving and more prevalent than before

but i dont think they're gonna shut the game down just yet. i mean, look at their other shooter games like hl2 deathmatch, counter strike, and day of defeat. those games are beyond past their expiration date and the servers are still up despite their small cult following. if valve shuts those games first instead, then i'd be worried about tf2 being next. but that doesnt seem to be the case, at least for now.

but if tf2 does shut down, it will be a major lost for the gaming industry and certainly there's just no way valve will pull the plug as there will riots outside valve's bellevue headquarters.

unlessss if they make tf3 which is not happening given to what happened to overwatch 2 and do we really need another sequel? NO!!!! all we can hope for is for the bots to be gone and get valve's attention

[/I\]

Originally posted by libadwaita (she/her):

I see a lot of people talk about shutting down TF2 as part of #KillTF2 or whatever, yet nobody seems to explain what that would practically entail or how Valve would manage to do it.

I think many people think of it in the same way as shutting down some modern multiplayer game (i.e Fortnite or Overwatch 2) but unlike modern multiplayer games like those, TF2 doesn't need Valve servers in order to function at a baseline level.

You might not have access to your backpack, or not be able to join Casual, but everyone would just migrate over to community servers anyways. Valve has no say in how community servers are ran and Valve cannot shut them down. Most modern multiplayer games can be shut down because there are no community servers and thus the game cannot be played if those behind the game shuts their game servers down.

Unless Valve goes to the lengths of removing TF2 from Steam (and even than, with the amount of TF2 forks that would be tricky noways, and it would still probably remain in your library to play) it will be impossible to shut down TF2, at least completely.

The most likely way of tf2 "shutting down" would like more or less like this

1. Valve makes a small farewell statement about the end of support

2. Casual servers and mvm get shut down

3. Workshop shuts down

4. One last (possibly heavy) update releases. They might even hire few more devs to make it.

5. Prices for australium items skyrocket after the end of mann up mode.


And that would be pretty much it. The tf2 market will be still there, same with mannco store and community servers won't even be touched. They simply gonna stop updating the game with cosmetics, bug fixes and maps, leaving the game in eternal agony.

Nevertheless its all theory (I don't have any info from gaben on death of tf2) and should it ever happen, it will still take some years to come.

Until then, valve is going to milk the game for as long as its profitable for them.

[Bob]

"WHOOOPS!!!"
*spills the soda over the whole server room, backup discs and levek 1 sentry in valve's office.

[( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)󠀰 󠀰]

Notice: At the request of the publisher, Team Fortress 2 is unlisted on the Steam store and will not appear in search.

[UNBREAKABLE]

They wouldn't. And during jungle inferno they also said that they have no plans of announcing whether or not development ends, so rule out any form of communication.

[Fireschlong #2Broke4MannUp]

Most likely, they would just shut down their official servers, and queueing for them now means getting matched with a community server. Basically, going back to quickplay.

With the shutdown of casual, item servers are unlikely to break though. Valve seems to care plenty about game preservation for that to not happen. If they are smart, they would unlock all weapons too, so you can choose them like stock weapons.

Even if it is shut down, it will always be playable. Everyone can host servers, so TF2 will always be there until the game files are lost, which game preservationists (including Valve, probably) will ensure that it doesn't happen.

[BISEXUAL HAMSTER #FIXTF2]

Originally posted by Fireschlong #2Broke4MannUp:

Most likely, they would just shut down their official servers, and queueing for them now means getting matched with a community server. Basically, going back to quickplay.

With the shutdown of casual, item servers are unlikely to break though. Valve seems to care plenty about game preservation for that to not happen. If they are smart, they would unlock all weapons too, so you can choose them like stock weapons.

Even if it is shut down, it will always be playable. Everyone can host servers, so TF2 will always be there until the game files are lost, which game preservationists (including Valve, probably) will ensure that it doesn't happen.

tf2 rewritten

[Marceline]

anyone who actually thinks tf2 is getting shut down is either an idiot, or is just purposefully baiting

if unreal tournament 97 and quake are still going today, then tf2 is gonna still be going in 20 years

never underestimate the tenacity and spite of people to make sure products dont die

[76561198161596995]

i think you should consider the pieces needed to be in place for tf2 to realistically close its doors. there needs to be such a heavily diminished playerbase (ik people consider it small already but im talking like sourcemod-after-initial-hype-wearing-off small) that it wouldn't be worth keeping the servers up anymore. trading and trade bots decline and that shrinks the already tiny playerbase even smaller and eventually cheatbots actually take over instead of being in this will they wont they state they've been in since 2016, and then the small huddled masses of tf2 players left will relegate themselves to community servers or 3rd party forks until the game eventually is erased slowly from memory as people grow old and move on from tf2 / gaming in general

[76561198240863610]

hope they do that soon

[Creatu]

They will shut it down if the game stops bringing them money and if nobody is playing it, that isn't the case as of right now so it will not happen in the near future. Don't forget that TF2 is still receiving a couple of small updates each year, maybe if they stop updating it to add more cosmetics and maps you could start to worry about that.

[Bob]

When will WoW shut down? When will WoT shut down? When Skyrim will stop having so many active players?

The implication of an online or long supported software product with a still active fanbase getting put down is just fascinating and I think noone here can foresee that. We don't see products like Steam, CS, Dota, Minecraft as something propietary but almost as it they are set in stone.

If the Team Fortress 2 was to shut down, where will be all the autists, weirdos, manchildren and other ♥♥♥♥. They will just leave the game at some point and their items too?

[parkyperhaps]

Its their second biggest free money maker next to Counter Strike so they prolly won't.