Valve’s latest Source SDK update contains the full client and server code for TF2. The company has also confirmed that classic Source Engine titles will soon gain 64-bit binary support.
Let’s start with the Team Fortress 2 news, as that’s more prescient than the 64-bit thing. Developers can now access the TF2 game source code for free through the Source SDK, meaning that game mods and community-led bugfixes are far more viable than ever before.
And, importantly, the TF2 game source code can be used to create all-new games that may be accepted to the Steam Store on a non-commercial basis. If you’re familiar with Valve’s Source Engine, then you know the drill—this is how we got games like Black Mesa. There are already a handful of TF2 fan games floating around, including Team Fortress 2 Classic, but they’re based on leaked source code and were previously barred from the Steam Store (actually, “snubbed” might be a more accurate description than “barred”).
It’s great to see that the community is being granted more control over TF2’s legacy. Still, Valve’s decision to bring 64-bit support to classic Source Engine multiplayer games is the most interesting part of this story.
Classic games like DoD:S, HL2:DM, CS:S, and HLDM:S never joined the 64-bit bandwagon (TF2 went 64-bit in mid-2024). As a result, these games can’t take full advantage of modern computer hardware or graphics APIs (such as Vulkan, Metal, or DirectX 12), and they don’t work on any version of macOS after Catalina 10.15.
The transition to 64-bit opens the door to improved platform compatibility and game stability. Old Source Engine games, when updated to the 64-bit binary, will be freed from longstanding RAM and CPU limitations and should run far faster on modern hardware. We should also see support for modern graphics APIs, though I assume that these APIs will only be implemented for compatibility purposes (the 64-bit version of TF2 added Vulkan for improved Linux and Steam Deck compatibility).
As for macOS compatibility—eh, that’s anybody’s guess. Old Source Engine games running in 64-bit should be easier to run on macOS through CrossOver or Wine, but unless Valve is willing to build full Metal support, I don’t see these games returning to Mac in any meaningful way.
If you like to read documentation, go check out the Valve Developer Communityor source-sdk-2023 repo. I should clarify that Source SDK already contained game code for HL2 and HL2:DM—those are not new additions.
Source: Valve
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