Team Fortress 2 voice actor makes community’s botting frustrations known to Valve

Team Fortress
(Image credit: Valve)

A Team Fortress 2 voice actor is making the community’s long-standing botting frustrations known to Valve

Robin Atkin Downes – who lends their vocal talents to TF2's Medic – explains on Twitter that they have messaged two of their contacts at Valve to explain why fans adore the long-running FPS game so much, and how the current botting situation has left them frustrated. Downes initially promised fans they would see what they can do to help earlier this month, so they’re making good on their word. 

Downes explains that their letter and all the responses to their initial tweet have been forwarded to Valve employees who can respond to the problem and that they’ll give everyone an update if they get one. While the veteran voice actor encourages fans to keep making their voice heard, they ask that they continue to do so in a “peaceful, passionate manner”.

Team Fortress 2 has seen its fair share of bot issues over the years. Recently, though, a content creator called SquimJim encouraged fans to reach out en masse to various media outlets and Valve employees to bring the issue back to the forefront of public conversation. Judging by Downes’ tweets, it certainly seems to be working.

Older games – especially on PC – are prone to botting issues. As IGN reports, while Team Fortress 2 is no different, players note that problems have accelerated in the past two years following a Team Fortress 2 source code leak. Not only are games increasingly challenging to play due to the number of bots, but actual players are being booted out to make way for more bots. It’s led many to call the game unplayable. 

We’ve reached out to Valve for comment and will update this story if we hear back.

Looking for more of the best FPS games? All you have to do is follow that link.

CATEGORIES
Deputy News Editor

Iain joins the GamesRadar team as Deputy News Editor following stints at PCGamesN and PocketGamer.Biz, with some freelance for Kotaku UK, RockPaperShotgun, and VG24/7 thrown in for good measure. When not helping Ali run the news team, he can be found digging into communities for stories – the sillier the better. When he isn’t pillaging the depths of Final Fantasy 14 for a swanky new hat, you’ll find him amassing an army of Pokemon plushies.

Read more
Zenless Zone Zero screenshot of Soldier 11 eating crackers
Actors supporting AI protections didn't know they were being replaced in Zenless Zone Zero update 1.6: "I found out the role was recast today alongside all of you"
Team Fortress 2 by Valve
Valve adds "all the Team Fortress 2 client and server game code" to its Source mod tools, letting modders "build completely new games based on TF2" and publish them on Steam
The Witcher 3
Resident Evil and Witcher 3 mocap director says video game industry layoffs have made it so "nothing is guaranteed," but AI won’t be replacing real actors "anytime soon"
Counter-Strike 2 release trailer screenshot showing an old-style white desktop PC running the Counter-Strike menu atop a wooden desk
After concerns from Valve, creators of CS:GO mod that aimed to "recreate the 1.6 vibe" are now "auditing the current build" to comply with guidelines
Astarion from Baldur's Gate 3
"I believe in experiencing life and art through human expression, not software": Baldur's Gate 3 Astarion actor calls for proper AI regulation
Key art for Deadlock.
Deadlock updates will be "a little bit more spaced out" so Valve can "improve our development process," but you can expect bigger major patches when they arrive
Latest in Action
Assassin's Creed Shadows screenshot showing female protagonist Naoe
Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe actor was terrified to perform until her first mocap scene earned "a standing ovation" on set: "Maybe I can do this mocap thing"
Assassin's Creed Shadows cinematic screenshot
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Yasuke actor says that Naoe could beat his samurai in a fight: “Especially with that big a** helmet of mine”
Asssassin's Creed Shadows kusarigama
My favorite weapon in Assassin's Creed Shadows is also the most misunderstood
Imai Sokyu leads the tea ceremony in Assassin's Creed Shadows
Assassin's Creed Shadows' tea ceremony quest is one of the game's best moments, but I wish Ubisoft would give us even higher stakes
Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe wearing black kosode
How to acquire a kosode in Assassin's Creed Shadows and should you choose red or black?
Bayonetta 3 screenshot showing bayonetta looking at a gun
As Assassin's Creed Shadows passes 2 million players, Devil May Cry creator Hideki Kamiya reveals "I felt bad that it was being criticized so much"
Latest in News
Dune Awakening
Dune Awakening launches for $50 without a stay in early access, and while the survival MMO "will not have a monthly subscription" it will have "optional" paid DLC
Linda Cardellini as Laura Barton in Hawkeye
Linda Cardellini cast as Jason's mom, the original Friday the 13th killer, for Crystal Lake prequel series
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 studio CD Projekt Red won't make survival games just because they're popular, but Netflix's Edgerunners anime is fueling dreams bigger than RPGs
Assassin's Creed Shadows screenshot showing female protagonist Naoe
Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe actor was terrified to perform until her first mocap scene earned "a standing ovation" on set: "Maybe I can do this mocap thing"
Daredevil: Born Again
Marvel may have just sneakily confirmed one of the biggest Daredevil: Born Again fan theories
Assassin's Creed Shadows cinematic screenshot
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Yasuke actor says that Naoe could beat his samurai in a fight: “Especially with that big a** helmet of mine”