This year's Invite series of the Challengers Cup gets underway Sunday, October 4th! Four teams battled it out through the qualifier tournament to prove themselves worthy to take on the European juggernauts of [R]eason Gaming, Epsilon eSports, The Last Resort, and Full Tilt. The eight best teams in Europe will be fighting to secure the $1500 prize pool kindly donated by the good folks from Razer. Catch all the airshots, headshots, and meatshots that Europe has to offer from can offer! Catch all the action on teamfortress.tv from 12:00 PM EST Sunday, October 4th.

The United Gaming Clans' (UGC) Fall 2015 season is about to start! The first week of matches starts September 28th for Highlander, September 30th for 6's and October 2nd for 4v4. UGC has over 8,000 players in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia/New Zealand, so sign up now and join the fun! October 6th is the last day that teams can sign up. Visit the UGC website for more information.

• Fixed a crash related to picking up dropped weapons

• Added LBTF2 Highlander Season 2 and LBTF2 6v6 Season 11 tournament medals
• Added an "Unusual Effect" checkbox for the Steam Workshop import tool
• Fixed a client crash related to the material system
• Fixed seeing [unknown] for player names in item descriptions
• Fixed a lighting bug with static props
• Fixed custom item_teamflag models not drawing properly
• Fixed a case where the Stat Clock model would float in the air while the player was taunting
• Fixed a case where the Sniper zoom could get stuck after picking up a weapon
• Fixed a push bug with The Scorch Shot and giant robots in Mann vs. Machine mode
• Fixed the Spy Sapper not drawing on robots in Mann vs. Machine mode
• Updated the slosh sounds used for footsteps
• Updated the localization files
• Updated the vote system so player can extend the current map using the Extend Current Map vote in the Vote Setup menu
  • Server admin can configure this new feature using the convars sv_vote_issue_extendlevel_allowed and sv_vote_issue_extendlevel_quorum
• PASS Time update
  • Rounds will continue after the timer expires until the jack becomes neutral or someone scores
  • The jack will heal its carrier to full health
  • Added tf_passtime_unstable for testing unstable features
  • Unstable features
    • Attack, defense, and support classes have different throwing arcs (tf_passtime_throwspeed, tf_passtime_throwarc)
    • The jack inherits some of the thrower's velocity (tf_passtime_throwspeed_velocity)
  • Added an alternate version of pass_warehouse: pass_warehouse_goal2
    • Instead of scoring by throwing the jack into the goal, players need to carry the jack into the goal

First off, a reminder that the Gun Mettle campaign is ending (the last new contracts drop September 30th), so if you want to complete those contracts you'd better get to work. Speaking of getting to work, the TF2 team is busy putting together the next major update, which should be out by the end of the year. It'll feature new maps, cosmetics, and a new campaign with contracts and weapon collections. We re also working on things like competitive matchmaking, perf, balance improvements and moving Mannpower Mode out of beta with a new map.

Sharp-eyed readers may have noticed that there s something missing from that list: Halloween. The reality is, if we produce a holiday-specific event map this year, it means we'll have to stop working on everything else. So: We ve decided to turn Halloween mostly over to you. This year s Halloween Update will be a showcase of all the best Halloween-themed community content (items, maps, taunts and unusuals) you guys can come up with. We ll also be activating every one of our past six Halloween Updates, so there'll still be plenty of spooky holiday-themed game modes to play.

Over the next month we ll be looking through the Workshop for anything tagged Halloween , so if you ve been working on an item you think would be perfect, make sure you get it submitted and tagged before October 18th, 2015.

Plus, if you didn t already have enough incentive to submit to the Workshop, we re changing our restrictions on Halloween items this year. Normally they re only visible to players on Halloween and full moons. This year, all newly selected Halloween-themed items will have NO restrictions put on them, and may be viewed year round. (So don't get too gross or out-there with your submissions.)

Well, back to work! We ve been incorporating plenty of great community feedback from our last update, so the next one should be even better.

• Added the DeutschLAN 2015 tournament medals
• Fixed a client crash related to fonts
• Fixed a client crash for users who had model quality set to low on maps with static prop lightmaps (thanks to Egan for the detailed report and test case)
• Fixed a bug where Strange Dalokohs Bars were incorrectly counting Allied Healing Done events as Allies Extinguished
• Strange Sandviches can now accept Allies Extinguished strange parts
• Updated the materials and model for The Rotation Sensation
• Updated the localization files
• PASS Time update
  • If the jack is neutral for too long, it will automatically respawn
  • If a player holds the jack for too long, teammates can steal the jack from that player
  • Catching and intercepting a tossed jack is slightly easier
  • Demoman can no longer charge or detonate while holding the jack
  • Enabled melee-only for sudden death mode
  • Updated pass_warehouse to fix some spots where the jack could get stuck

Item donations are now open for Tip of the Hats, an annual charity livestream event hosted by the Team Fortress 2 community. Cash donations will begin on Saturday, September 12th. The event streams at twitch.tv this September 19th at 12:00 PM EST. Last year's event boasted over 500,000 unique viewers and raised over $100,000 towards One Step Camp, a program that gives camp experiences and other programs throughout the year that allow children with cancer to just be kids. It's a worthy cause, and this year's event promises to be the most ambitious yet! Be sure to tune in, and don't forget to donate!

• Removed the Gun Mettle Campaign Pass from the Mann Co. Store
• Updated Mann Co. Store prices for foreign currencies to current USD equivalents
• Updated the localization files

Issue #5 is live! Man, it feels like just yesterday since Issue #4 came out. How long's it been since we released that, anyway? Let's see... one month, two... hm. three... four... wow, five...

Actually, let's not focus on how long it's been. The important thing is Issue #5's out! The last two should be coming out a little quicker.

• Fixed a security issue related to map loading (thanks to Nathaniel Theis for this report)
• Fixed a client crash related to custom HUDs
• Fixed a client crash related to the material system
• Fixed Gun Mettle weapons not always displaying their wear level in the tool tip
• Fixed the Lurker's Leathers not using the correct Blue team material
• Fixed a bug in Mann vs. Machine that allowed players to refund credits without losing their upgrades
• Fixed a bug in Mann vs. Machine related to the Medigun shield
• The Dalokohs Bar can now accept Allies Extinguished strange parts
• Updated the materials and model for the Outta' Sight
• Updated the The Crosslinker's Coil, The Br tal Bouffant, and The Wilson Weave to add a 'No Headphones' style
• Updated the localization files