Valve Corporation’s notoriously secretive development culture has long left fans perpetually hungry for new game announcements. Over the past few months, whispers of a mysterious new project—codenamed “Tf”—have ignited speculation across gaming communities. Now, Tyler McVicker—the dataminer-turned-YouTube leaker whose sleuthing has correctly uncovered Half-Life: Alyx and Deadlock before public reveal—has stoked the rumor mill once more.
From Deadlock’s Code to Daydreams
The saga began earlier this year when an eagle-eyed Reddit user uncovered a cryptic string—“Tf”—within the resourcecompiler.dll of Valve’s upcoming hero shooter, Deadlock. The find immediately drew McVicker’s attention, who verified that the codename was new, appearing after both Deadlock and Counter-Strike 2 in Source 2 engine data.
According to McVicker, this isn’t a leftover artifact. The two-letter tag seems to serve as a development identifier—no casual leak, nor a snippet from a decade-old build.
Port, Sequel—or Something Else Entirely?
Speculation soared when McVicker explicitly dismissed the notion that “Tf” represents a Source 2 port of Team Fortress 2. He argued that if Valve were simply shifting TF2 onto Source 2, a more descriptive tag like “Tf_import” would have been used—and that porting had already occurred years ago.
Publications like TheGamer have echoed this line of thinking, suggesting the naming convention implies a wholly new project—a sequel, spin-off, or reimagining (via The Gamer). Even FandomWire and OpenCritic have embraced the connection, highlighting that McVicker’s track record adds weight to the theory.
Why the Tf Bombshell Matters
Valve rarely shows its cards. Unlike other publishers, it maintains one of the most enigmatic corporate profiles in gaming. Nearly two decades passed between Half-Life 2 and Alyx, and even then, fans scoured code and cryptic teasers to catch wind of its development.
When HLX surfaced in the codebase years before Half-Life: Alyx revealed itself, dataminers like McVicker took notice—and were eventually proven right. This history lends genuine excitement to “Tf,” especially now that McVicker has joined the chorus of oversight.
A writer from TheGamer put it succinctly:
“Valve is making something. Of course, you should take this with a grain of salt…”
But two games at once? “That’s two Valve games… It’s starting to feel oddly like 2007.” The Gamer
Reality Check: Tempered Expectations Ahead
Still, skepticism remains prudent. Ensìgame reminds fans that Valve has a history of cancelling or shelving games—even ones that seemed promising in early builds. Deadlock itself, which began as “Citadel,” transformed multiple times before release, according to datamining reports.
Until Valve confirms—or better yet, officially announces—any Team Fortress-adjacent project, “Tf” remains speculative but tantalizing.
What Comes Next
For now, Valve’s quietly cooking something in its Source 2 cooker. Whether “Tf” is an arcane tease, a full game, or something in between remains to be seen. McVicker’s fingerprints on this find push it beyond idle chatter—but as any veteran Valve watcher will tell you—fortune favors the admirably patient.
Until the studio breaks cover, fans willing to sift through .dll files armed with hope and a healthy dose of skepticism will be watching closely.