In some unspecified time in the future on August 29, roughly 13 terabytes of Steam depot information leaked on-line. It’s not an exaggeration to say that it’s fairly probably the most important video game-related leak ever, because it comprises prototype builds for an absurd variety of video games, together with a number of first-party Valve releases like Portal 2, Counter-Strike: World Offensive, and Left 4 Useless 2.
The total scope of the content material included within the “Steam2” leak is difficult to get a deal with on in the mean time, as folks aren’t even completed cataloging all of its contents but. What does look like the case, nonetheless, is that the depot information date from 2003 to 2013, and the almost 13-terabyte torrent file going round comprises builds of each third-party video games and Valve’s personal first-party titles.
So far as third-party video games are involved, there’s not a ton of concrete data on the market but. That’s most likely as a result of many individuals are presently busy poring over the entire content material found simply within the Valve prototype builds. To that finish, right here’s what’s been uncovered to date, protecting in thoughts that this story will certainly develop additional over the following couple of weeks.
Half-Life Content material
All proper, let’s get this one out of the way in which first: earlier than you get too excited, no person has found a playable construct of both Half-Life 3 or Half-Life 2: Episode 3 on this leak. Nonetheless, whereas no legendary prototype construct of both sport has popped up, that doesn’t imply that the leak is totally devoid of Half-Life content material.
The primary discovery here’s a mannequin for Half-Life 2: Episode 3’s “weaponizer” gun. For context, in 2011, a number of filenames associated to Half-Life 2: Episode 3 leaked, together with an “icegun,” a “flamethrower,” and three separate cases of a “weaponizer.” On the time, mentioned discovery wasn’t that huge of a deal—however then, Valve launched the Half-Life 2: twentieth Anniversary Documentary in 2024.
The Half-Life 2 Episode 3 weapon could be seen within the Portal 2 leak
We by no means see what it does in that Episode 3 footage… pic.twitter.com/hcljUUFGqJ
— Half-Life Alyx NoVR (@HL_Alyx_NoVR) August 29, 2026
And, lo and behold, it featured a number of clips of weapons that had been set to seem in Half-Life 2: Episode 3, together with the aforementioned Ice Gun and a short, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it clip of an unnamed weapon that the group believes is the fabled Weaponizer. This mannequin pops up within the Portal 2 prototype construct, though it seems to be a placeholder for a scrapped Paint Gun. There are additionally unconfirmed reviews of filenames showing in an “ep3” depot, however take these with a grain of salt for now.
The Portal 2 Prototypes
Talking of Portal 2, the invention of a minimum of two prototype builds of Valve’s 2011 sport within the Steam2 information is definitely the juiciest a part of the leak to date. The 2009 model of the Portal 2 prototype is fairly tough, however in the event you’re a fan of idea variations of unfinished cutscenes and placeholder fashions, you then may discover digging by this one fascinating. As an example, right here’s a really early model of the sport’s intro sequence from the 2009 construct.
Portal 2 Beta intro (July 2009 Construct) pic.twitter.com/FMRlZIBeR9
— Jeremy. (@TheJeremy__) August 29, 2026
There’s additionally some enjoyable, foolish stuff in right here, like this random image of a rat that seems once you open a selected door, and a reduce line of dialogue wherein GLaDOS refers to itself as Chell’s “mom.”
The really fascinating stuff is within the 2010 construct. This construct comprises working, albeit considerably unfinished, variations of three scrapped Portal 2 mechanics: Adhesive Gel, the Paint Gun, and a slo-mo, bullet-time mechanic.
Habilidades eliminadas de la beta de Portal 2:
-Gel adhesivo
-Cámara lenta
-El weaponizer de Half-Life 2: Episodio 3 probablemente se usaba de placeholder para el arma de pintura pic.twitter.com/qQgfS76EXs— Scolcer (@scolcer_) August 30, 2026
Curiously, we’ve identified about each the Adhesive Gel and the Paint Gun since Portal 2 first launched, as you may hear the devs chatting about them within the sport’s developer commentary mode. However that is the primary time we’ve correctly seen them in motion, and whereas I perceive why the devs selected to chop them from the ultimate sport…I gotta say, strolling on partitions utilizing the Adhesive Gel does look cool as hell.
the portal 2 beta shit is insanely cool pic.twitter.com/g1hMScWymE
— Max ¯_(ツ)_/¯ 🔜 RDC26 (@MaximumADHD) August 29, 2026
Likewise, the slow-motion mechanic featured within the clip above seems enjoyable to fiddle with, and I suppose it’s fascinating that this mechanic was so totally realized earlier than being scrapped, because the devs even slowed down the sound results once you set off it.
Early Counter-Strike: World Offensive Builds
There’s a number of Counter-Strike: World Offensive stuff floating round in the mean time, to the purpose that I couldn’t discern precisely what number of completely different builds of the sport have been found. At minimal, it appears as if there are three separate prototype builds of the sport, however all three look like fairly related.
In keeping with those that are tirelessly digging by them, the Counter-Strike: World Offensive builds characteristic PS3 and Xbox 360 icons, which means that these builds are most probably work-in-progress ports. There are a number of scrapped fashions in one of many builds too, together with one among a lady.
Plus, there may be the extraordinarily clear scrapped model of the HUD featured within the video above, which additionally showcases a number of reduce weapon animations.
Oh, and a minimum of one construct options “household man ragdoll physics,” which is actually too humorous to not embrace. Sort of want this additionally made its approach into the ultimate model of the sport.
One of the best a part of the cstrike15 teraleak must be the household man ragdoll physics pic.twitter.com/iuTU6TwUoe
— Goldec (@_goldec) August 31, 2026
Nonetheless, Counter-Strike followers will most likely discover the entire scrapped maps featured in one of many later builds to be essentially the most fascinating a part of the leak. As Slippi explains of their submit on X, a number of of those reduce maps look like immediately impressed by related maps within the unique Left 4 Useless.
That being mentioned, the maps don’t appear like straight-up copies to me, however extra akin to recreations. If that’s certainly the case, it’s curious that Valve selected to scrap them—though most Counter-Strike gamers would most likely have solely performed them as soon as earlier than queuing into de_dust for the billionth time.
Left 4 Useless 2
Equally, I’m unsure what number of completely different Left 4 Useless 2 prototype builds are knocking round, however it appears there are a minimum of two. Sadly, these builds are reportedly fairly buggy and can at all times crash at particular factors in sure ranges. The discoveries to date are additionally not fairly as juicy as something within the earlier entries on this listing.
Nonetheless, there’s a handful of curiosities in right here. As an example, you possibly can leap lots greater within the prototype builds. Additionally, the placeholder audio within the Darkish Carnival stage’s live performance part is admittedly very humorous. Headphone customers, beware: the audio within the clip under is tremendous loud.
EVERYONE WHO GOT THE LEAKED L4D2 BETA, PLAY DARK CARNIVAL’S CONCERT AND LISTEN TO MIDNIGHT RIDE’S PLACEHOLDER, I’M CRINE pic.twitter.com/cB93H2EMUj
— Amero (SFW Account) (@Amero_2005) August 31, 2026
One other fascinating tidbit is that almost all of Left 4 Useless’s maps are current within the Left 4 Useless 2 builds, which implies you may play by them with Left 4 Useless 2’s survivors in the event you really need. I’d wager these had been solely left in for testing functions, however nonetheless cool to see.
Valve’s Canceled F-Cease
If you happen to’re not an enormous Valve fan, you could by no means have heard of F-Cease. In case you are an enormous Valve fan, each synapse in your mind most likely simply collectively fired directly.
F-Cease is a canceled prequel to Portal—type of, anyway. If you happen to’re within the prolonged rationalization, I extremely counsel studying by the Half-Life wiki web page on the topic. If not, right here’s the brief model: in 2007, Valve basically spent three months performing the sport growth equal of jazz, in a venture Gabe Newell dubbed “the Directed Design Experiments.”
Extra F-Cease leaks
This Valve venture has has little or no leaked so it’s fascinating to see this pic.twitter.com/G2x9CdvwZA
— Half-Life Alyx NoVR (@HL_Alyx_NoVR) August 29, 2026
The crew messed round with 5 completely different ideas for video games, one among which was dubbed F-Cease. The crew envisioned it as a prequel to Portal, and the gameplay consisted of taking footage after which scaling them in distinctive methods to resolve puzzles. In brief, it sounds lots like the sport Superliminal. In keeping with Newell, everybody thought that F-Cease was so cool that they needed to make it right into a full sport. All the venture was in the end scrapped, nonetheless, and we obtained Portal 2 as a substitute.
Sadly, a prototype model of F-Cease isn’t featured anyplace within the leak. Nonetheless, a number of F-Cease property have been found inside one of many Portal 2 prototypes.
f-stop had zombies!! pic.twitter.com/fdE7g85WsT
— joepop (@joecandomore) August 30, 2026
This makes a number of sense. Newell has said earlier than that F-Cease’s temporary growth did encourage a few of Portal 2’s puzzles, and that a number of of the property from the scrapped sport had been used for testing functions throughout Portal 2’s growth. If you would like one thing tremendous juicy although, look no additional than the clip under.
That’s an virtually 10-minute-long placeholder model of Cave Johnson dialogue, ripped from one of many Portal 2 prototypes within the leak. Nonetheless, mentioned dialogue isn’t for Portal 2; it’s for F-Cease. How do we all know that’s the case? As a result of Cave Johnson instructs the participant to select up “the Aperture Science Spirit Digicam” and “take footage” of his “huge outdated butt.”
It’s good to get a short glimpse of what Valve was cooking in 2007, however painful to study that, had issues gone in a different way, we would have gotten to listen to Cave Johnson’s voice actor, J. Ok. Simmons, instructing us to take pics of his juicy behind. Oh, what may have been…
