Scream Fortress XVIII has arrived!
Scream Fortress XVIII arrives with 5 new community maps, the Haunted Hoard Case, and a massive overhaul to the Zombie Infection game mode featuring new class abilities.
Key Changes
- 1Scream Fortress XVIII event launch featuring 5 new community maps
- 2Massive Zombie Infection mode overhaul with new class-specific abilities
- 3New Zombie Spawn Picker system for manual respawn location selection
- 4Haunted Hoard Case added with 23 new community cosmetics
- 55 new community-contributed taunts added to the Mann Co. Store
- 6Zombie Spy, Pyro, and Heavy received significant health and resistance nerfs
- 7Halloween Contracts reset with new objectives for 2026 featured maps
- 821 new community-created Unusual effects introduced
- 9Major bug fixes for client/bot crashes and weapon visual glitches
- 10Significant balance and navigation updates to pl_redwood and pd_mannsylvania
All Changes
🎃Scream Fortress XVIII(7)
- newMaps: Added 5 new community maps: HolyHell, Scarypass, Trainsawlaser, Medi-Evil, and Scaredy-Cat
- newHaunted Hoard Case: Added the Haunted Hoard Case containing 23 new community-created cosmetic items
- newTaunts: Added 5 new community-contributed taunts: Hippocratic Hypocrite, Showrunner's Spirit, Barrel Roll, One-Eyed Punt!, and Sear You Later
- newUnusual Effects: Added 21 new community-created Unusual effects (11 for hats, 10 for taunts)
- changeContracts: All Halloween Contracts have been reset and new Contracts added for this year's maps
- newSoul Gargoyle: All players receive a Soul Gargoyle to track Merasmissions and souls collected
- changeCases: Cases grant Halloween 2026 Unusual effects instead of normal effects during the event
🧟Zombie Infection(12)
- newZombie Infection: Added Zombie Spawn Picker allowing Zombies to manually choose their respawn point
- newZombie Engineer: Zombie Engineer: New 'Beacon' ability allows throwing a toolbox to create a custom zombie respawn point
- newZombie Spy: Zombie Spy: New 'EMP Grenade' replaces Reveal; disables buildings and highlights survivors
- newZombie Pyro: Zombie Pyro: New 'Sticky Spew' ability fires tar balls that hinder survivor movement
- newZombie Heavy: Zombie Heavy: New 'Rock Hurl' ability stuns survivors and disables buildings
- nerfZombie Spy: Zombie Spy: Max health lowered to 125 and melee damage reduced to 69%
- nerfZombie Pyro: Zombie Pyro: Fire resistance reduced from 100% to 70% and no longer ignites players on hit
- nerfZombie Heavy: Zombie Heavy: Knockback resistance reduced to 85% and building damage reduced from 120 to 90
- nerfZombies: Zombies are no longer ÜberCharged when respawning
- changeZombies: Zombies now drop a small ammo pack upon death
- buffZombies: Zombies receive Mini-Crits when the team is below the starting infection quota
- buffB.A.S.E Jumper: The B.A.S.E Jumper can now be deployed at any point in the round
🗺️Gameplay & Maps(7)
- buffThe Winger: pl_redwood: Dismounting a zipline while wielding The Winger now boosts jump height by 25%
- nerfVampire Buff: pd_mannsylvania: Reduced duration of the Vampire Buff from 20 to 15 seconds
- buffpd_mannsylvania: pd_mannsylvania: Added a 5 second speed boost for players exiting Dracula's Castle
- buffkoth_demolition: koth_demolition: Upgraded furnace room health pack from medium to full and office building pack from small to medium
- nerfShield Charge: pl_redwood: Reduced speed gained from dismounting a zipline shortly after shield charging
- changezi_blazehattan: zi_blazehattan: Reduced round timer from 210s to 180s
- changezi_woods: zi_woods: Increased round timer from 120s to 160s
🔧General Fixes(8)
- fixClient: Fixed a client crash related to missing HUDAutoAim element
- fixTFBot: Fixed a TFBot crash related to moving control points
- fixSpy: Fixed Spy disguising as a player without a primary weapon
- fixThe AWPer Hand: Fixed misplaced muzzle attachment for The AWPer Hand
- fixWeapons: Fixed crit boost material effect not working on several weapons
- fixYour Eternal Reward: Fixed cosmetics attached to ragdolls not cloaking when killed with Your Eternal Reward
- fixZombie Infection: Fixed Zombies sometimes being immune to headshots in ZI mode
- fixCosmetics: Optimized model exports for Beaten and Bruised and Hard Hearing cosmetics to reduce file size
Summary
Scream Fortress XVIII
Team Fortress 2's annual Halloween event returns with five new community-created maps: HolyHell, Scarypass, Trainsawlaser, Medi-Evil, and Scaredy-Cat. Players can now earn the Haunted Hoard Case, containing 23 new cosmetics, and explore 21 new Unusual effects. The event includes a reset of all Halloween Contracts and the return of the Soul Gargoyle system, running through November 7th, 2026.
Zombie Infection Overhaul
The Zombie Infection (ZI) mode has received a significant mechanical rework. Zombies now utilize a new Spawn Picker system to choose their respawn locations and have gained unique class-specific abilities, such as the Zombie Engineer's Beacon and the Zombie Heavy's Rock Hurl. Balance adjustments have been applied across all zombie classes, including health and resistance nerfs to improve gameplay flow.
General Improvements & Map Updates
This update includes dozens of community-contributed fixes for crashes, visual glitches, and gameplay exploits. Notable map updates include significant balance and navigation changes to pl_redwood, pd_mannsylvania, and koth_demolition, alongside optimization passes for all six Zombie Infection maps.