List of references

Due to the comedic style of Team Fortress 2 as well as Valve's humor, the game includes references, usually in a humorous fashion. There are many different types, from games to movies. Jokes that have developed within the game and its community have been included. Below are references that are not specific to one class.

Bill's Hat, a reference to the game Template:W.

Class-specific references

• Scout-specific references
• Soldier-specific references
• Pyro-specific references
• Demoman-specific references
• Heavy-specific references
• Engineer-specific references
• Medic-specific references
• Sniper-specific references
• Spy-specific references

Weapons

Conscientious Objector We gave peace a chance. It didn't work. Custom decals can be applied to this item.

A Template:W is someone who refuses military service for ideological reasons.

The description of the weapon references Template:W, a song by Template:W.

Frying Pan

The Frying Pan is a melee weapon used by the survivors in Left 4 Dead 2.

Saxxy Winner: [Category] [Year] Imbued with an ancient power.

The Annual Saxxy Award is a reference to the annual Template:W, having similar prize statuettes and opening songs.

Hats and Miscellaneous items

Alien Swarm Parasite This cute little guy was once the scourge of humanity in another time and place. Now he's content to ride on your head and keep the sun off.

This is a stylized version of an enemy parasite from Alien Swarm.

Aperture Labs Hard Hat Produce-powered personal illumination and cranial safety apparatus. NOT FOR USE OUTSIDE OFFICIAL APERTURE FACILITIES.

This hat is a reference to the "Potato Clock" or "Potato Battery", a popular science fair project where a potato is used to power a clock or other electronic appliance and a running joke in Template:W.

Athletic Supporter [Insert Favorite Regional Team Here]

The Athletic Supporter sports the Template:W logo on the front.

"Athletic supporter" is an alternate name for a Template:W.

B.M.O.C. Be the Big Man of Christmas with this fur-fringed pom-pom hat!

The "Big Man of Christmas" is Template:W; the abbreviation is a play on the term "Big Man on Campus", a highly respected individual.

Bill's Hat Left 4 You.

This is the beret worn by Vietnam war veteran Bill in Template:W.

Companion Cube Pin

This item features Template:W companion cube.

Company Man

The logo of Sarif Industries from the Template:W series is printed on the front of the cap.

Ebenezer If you are visited by one piece of spectral headwear this night, make it the Ghost of Christmas Hats, donated in true Smissmass spirit by Steam User Jacen.

The Ebenezer's name, as well as its description, is a reference to Charles Dickens' novel Template:W. The description references the three spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Future that visit Ebenezer Scrooge, the main character, during the course of the story.

Ellis' Cap

Ellis wears this cap in Left 4 Dead 2.

Full Head of Steam You never took a break from cp_foundry, and now you can prove it with the actual steam whistle used to call the breaks you never took!

The idiom "full steam ahead" describes a task done with as much enthusiasm as possible.

Hat of Undeniable Wealth And Respect Earned by completing 28 objectives in 'The Great Steam Treasure Hunt.' Beware the Cephalopod padlock.

The hat is level 28, the same number of objectives required to be completed in The Great Steam Treasure Hunt to earn it.

Lo-Fi Longwave Can't stop the signal.

This hardhat sports the KritzKast logo on the front.

The description is a tagline for Template:W.

Map Maker's Medallion

The hammer symbol on this medal is a reference to Valve's map editor, Hammer.

The item is referred to as a "Func_Medal", a reference to the various func-prefixed entities available for use with the Hammer editor.

Max's Severed Head Expertly crafted headwear from cruelty-free farms in the Philippines. Hollowed-out skull casing wicks moisture away when in the heat of battle.

This hat is made from the head of Max from Template:W. The description is a reference to the first Sam & Max comic, Monkeys Violating the Heavenly Temple, which took place in the Philippines.

Philateler Congratulations on doing more yesterday to support the TF2 map-making community through map stamps than anyone else! Wear this with pride before it changes hands tomorrow!

Template:W is the collection and study of postage and imprinted stamps.

Point and Shoot The next time someone accuses you of not being a real wizard because you refuse to (read: can’t) do spells, poke them in the eye with this magically blinding pointy hat and run.

Amadeus, a wizard in Trine 2, wears a hat similar to this. The description references the fact that Amadeus is incapable of conjuring a fireball, a recurring joke in the Trine series.

Proof of Purchase From another era.

The description references this hat's origins; it is visible on the Human Commando player model from the early "Invasion" version of Team Fortress 2, as well as the files that were leaked in 2003 with Half-Life 2's source code.

Resurrection Associate Pin

This item features Template:W companion cube.

Spine-Chilling Skull Express your undying hatred for the living.

The Spine-Chilling Skull is level 31, referring to Halloween on the 31st of October.

Spiral Sallet Little known fact: knights in chess travel over other pieces by rocket jumping.

The Spiral Sallet is named after the eponymous hat from Template:W, though it bears more resemblance to the Mighty Cobalt Helm.

Spirit Of Giving The more gifts you give away, the bigger your heart will get! Get what gift-givers call "the Smissmas spirit," and what cardiologists call hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

The item is a reference to the classic Dr. Seuss story Template:W whose title character is born with a heart two sizes two small but when he gives Christmas presents to the Whos of Whoville, his heart grows three sizes.

Template:W is the medical term for thickening and growth of the heart.

Teufort Tooth Kicker These steel-toed dogs were scientifically engineered (in a wind tunnel) by America's foremost authorities on mouth-kicking to perfectly fit the inside of an idiot's mouth.

The Capture the Flag map 2Fort is often referred to as Teufort in TF2's supplementary material.

Top Notch Welcome to a secret society so exclusive it makes the Illuminati look like a Costco. How exclusive? You are the only member. This is the only item of its kind in all of existence. So don't craft it, Miney.

The hat adopts the likeness of Template:W personal avatar, a drawing of himself in the artistic style of Template:W, on which he was the lead developer until the game's official release.

Something which is described as being "top notch" is first rate, or excellent.

Towering Pillar of Hats A-ha-ha! You are as PRESUMPTUOUS as you are POOR and IRISH. Tarnish notte the majesty of my TOWER of HATS.

This hat and its description are references to the hidden Gentle Manne of Leisure page on the Classless Update.

Voodoo Juju Only the finest leather hats come with tattoos and piercings.

The Voodoo Juju is level 31, referring to Halloween on the 31st of October.

World Traveler's Hat Given to generous souls who have donated to community map makers. The effect will only be visible while on a map that has been donated towards!

Should a player contribute enough to obtain 200 stamps for their World Traveler's Hat, its rank will change to "Template:W", a reference to a recurring alloy in science fiction and speculative science.

Bots

Some bots have names that reference other games include:

• Aperture Science Prototype XR7 – Aperture Science Laboratories is the main setting for Template:W.
• Black Mesa – The main setting of Template:W.
• Boomer Bile – A substance produced by Boomers in the Template:W series.
• CEDA –- The Civil Emergency and Defense Agency in the Template:W series is responsible for control of the Infection.
• Chell – The name of the protagonist of Template:W.
• Companion Cube – An object in Template:W used to solve Test Chamber 17.
• Crowbar – Template:W's weapon of choice in the Template:W series.
• Delicious Cake – The "reward" of subsequent testing in Template:W.
• Dog – The name of Template:W's pet robot from Template:W.
• GLaDOS – The main antagonist of Template:W.
• Hostage – A hapless citizen held up by the Terrorist team in Template:W.
• IvanTheSpaceBiker – A nickname given to the original model of Gordon Freeman in Template:W.
• One-Man Cheeseburger Apocalypse – A reference to a quote from Coach in Template:W.
• Still Alive – The name of the song played during the end credits in Template:W.
• TAAAAANK! – A warning shouted by the Survivors in the Template:W series when a Tank is spotted.
• The Combine – The primary antagonists of Template:W and its episodic sequels.
• The Freeman – The nickname Gordon Freeman is given by the Vortigaunts of Template:W.
• The G-Man – A mysterious recurring character in the Template:W series.
• WITCH – One of the Special Infected types in the Template:W series.
• ZAWMBEEZ – Pronounced "zombies", the primary enemies in the Template:W series.

Responses and sounds

The Soldier and Demoman often reference Greek myth in their taunts of each other, especially concerning the Template:W.

"Flawless Victory, now do it again!"

This line from The Administrator is a reference to the Template:W announcer's famous "Flawless Victory!" line.

One of the stock death responses used in Trailer 2 is the infamous Template:W, a well known movie sound effect. The Scout can still scream this way on occasion, usually when he is falling to his death or killed with a Critical hit. This was also the death scream used for the Civilian class, when it was originally accessible via console commands.

Haunted Fortress 2, the soundtrack to the Scream Fortress Update, contains screaming sounds used by the Witch Infected from Template:W.

Other

• The Ferguson system is a Template:W of tractors established in 1934.
• Badwater Basin is a Template:W located in Death Valley National Park, California.
• Team Fortress 2 carries a heavy retro 1960's style, drawing heavy thematic and musical inspiration from famous Spy films and series such as Template:W, Template:W and Template:W.
• The Foundry achievement Terminated, Too references Template:W's final scene.
• The Foundry achievement The Crucible refers to the Template:W, held each year in the Crucible Theater ("the Crucible") in Sheffield, England. In any year's championship the winner (or the runner-up) could play a cumulative total of at most 137 frames over all five rounds (not including qualifying rounds).
• The Doomsday achievement Plan Nine to Outer Space is named after Template:W, a movie notorious for its poor quality.
• The Doomsday achievement Space Camp is named after various summer camps made to teach children about astronomy.

References in other games

Due to its high popularity, references of Team Fortress 2 can be found in other games as well.

• Template:W has an arcade game called "Team Buttress 2" which advertises that now comes with "TWO FORTS!", a reference to 2Fort.
• Template:W's DLC, called "Hail to the Icons Parody Pack", contains multiplayer map 2Forts1Bridge, a reference to 2Fort, and allows players to wear hats.
  • An advertisement of this map says Hats? Duke loves hats. Give him a minigun and he’ll take down all comers, which may be reference to Trailer 2 video.
• Template:W has Steam Exclusive four playable "familiars": the Heavy, the Engineer, the Medic and the Pyro.
• Template:W has many hackable computers containing information, one specifically referring to a RED Spy infiltrating the BLU's base.
• Killing Floor features the Pyro as a playable character for players who own Team Fortress 2.
• Template:W has a cereal box in the first level of No Mercy that offers Team Fortress 2 toys can be seen in the first building the survivors venture through. Oddly enough, the box reads "10 to collect" despite there being only 9 classes, possibly referencing to the tenth class.
  • In the Sacrifice comic, Louis has a Heavy figurine standing on his desk.
• Left 4 Dead 2 has a voice clip of Ellis in which he remarks "This is just like Team Fortress 2".
  • The Pyro and Heavy appear as mascots for "Pyro's Hamburgers" and "Heavy Gulp".
    • There is also a brand of soft drink labeled "MANNS" found in a safe room.
• Template:W contains a level which references TF2. You start in a supply room and have to fight through a western area full of enemies based on various TF2 classes. The level even includes the Meet the Spy announcement room.
• Template:W took a jab at the Mann Co. Store for April Fools Day 2011 with in-game "Steve Co. Supply Crates" which can only be unlocked with "Steve Co. Supply Crate Keys" bought from a (fake) micro-transaction service which is presented with the Team Fortress 2 font.
• Monday Night Combat contains a variety of items that relate to Team Fortress 2, like the Demoman's hat and eyepatch and the Heavy's bandolier.
• Poker Night At The Inventory features the Heavy as an opponent, along with many references to Team Fortress 2 made in conversations with other characters.
  • Also, there are other Team Fortress 2 references: themed card decks with classes and other characters, table covers with familiar TF2 logos and re-stylized theme songs - Team Fortress 2 and More Gun.
• Portal 2 features hats from Team Fortress 2 that can be used in the Co-op campaign if you own them in Team Fortress 2.
  • These include the Mann Co. Cap, Prince Tavish's Crown, Pyro's Beanie, Fancy Fedora, Master's Yellow Belt, Tyrant's Helm and Aperture Labs Hard Hat.
• Sam & Max Season 3 Episode 4 Beyond the Alley of the Dolls has a cameo appearance of a level 1 BLU Dispenser, referred as a "curious dispenser".
• Template:W's add-on content 'Prejudice' has an achievement named 'Use More Gun' Which is a quote of the Engineer in his Meet the Team video.
• Template:W contains an achievement called "Meet the Spy", an obvious reference to the official Meet the Spy video.
  • Also the achievement "Professionals have standards", that involves the "snipe" ability, is an obvious reference to Meet the Sniper.
• Super Monday Night Combat has TF2 items just like its predecessor. Specifically, reaching level 10 unlocks the TF2 Engineer uniform for Combat Girl and reaching level 15 unlocked the TF2 Soldier uniform and rocket launcher skin for MegaBeth.
• Template:W features a quest involving a large goblin pushing a cart down a track and at some point will say "We must push little cart!", a reference to the Heavy's voice clip.
• Worms: Reloaded contains customizable headgear which can make Worms look like TF2 classes, with forts that contain key features from many TF2 maps.

See also

• Meet the Team
• Classes
• Hats
• Bots