TF2: WAR Update Ends, Mystery Item Goes To…

Valve has revealed that the winner of Team Fortress 2’s WAR is the Soldier, granting that class a bonus piece of equipment.The WAR update, which chronicled the battle between the Soldier and the Demoman, has come to a close with the Soldiers winning by 6,406,065 kills to 6,372,979 – a difference of only 33,086. A close fought battle, then.As such, the Soldier will be the one to don the Gunboats, a piece of secondary-slot equipment that “reduce[s] rocket jump damage by a huge amount, rendering stairs forever useless.” Awesome.Two maps have also been revealed: CP_Gorge, and CTF_Doublecross. Gorge is an attack/defense map set in “a sinister weapons factory disguised as an innocent water purification plant” with only two control points and a lot of lateral space, making for quick rounds but plenty of manoeuvrability. Doublecross is a fast-paced CTF map with two bridges crossing between the bases – one main bridge with plenty of ways to fall, and a lower, secondary bridge with access to a load of secret tunnels.The WAR update should be live right now so all of this should, at last, be in the game. The other bits and bobs added include crafting, a close-combat kit for the Demoman, a sharpshooting weapon for the Soldier, and – yesterday – a melee weapon and secondary “buff banner” for the Soldier, and a new sticky bomb launcher for the Demoman. Whew.The update should be live right now, so go play. Even if you don’t own Team Fortress 2, this weekend is a free weekend, and anyone with a Steam account can download the game for free right now. If you actually fancy playing past the weekend, now might be a good time to buy the game – it’s 50% off, dropping it to £6.99 GBP. Bargain.