Just as we posted earlier - the update we predicted would be released today has gone live! The update is rather large (752MB) so get started on the update by restarting Steam.

Counter-Strike Source Changes

• 144 achievements added
• New lifetime player stats and summary screens
• New match player stats and summary screens
• New end of round display with MVP and interesting fact about a player
• Updated scoreboard with new icons, visual style, MVP stars, and avatar pictures
• New cinematic death camera
• New domination and revenge system
• Added avatar icons to voice chat, scoreboard, and end of round display
• Incorporated many source engine updates
• Disallowed the use of arbitrary command strings for the message of the day screen. Now only a specific list of commands is allowed.
• Addressed issue in which AWPs and Scouts sometimes did not make the zooming sound.
• cvar mat_showlowresimage is now a cheat command.
• Many development console commands which would crash the server removed.
• Updated source engine addresses many issues:
• Better flashlight effect
• Better HDR behavior
• Multicore rendering support
• Added sv_disablefreezecam cvar to turn off the freezecam on a server.
• Added sv_nonemesis cvar to turn off domination/revenge on a server.
• Added sv_nomvp cvar to turn off MVP stars on a server.
• Added sv_nostats cvar to turn off stats on a server.
• Removed -tickrate command line option and defaulted tick rate to 66 rather than 33. This addressed a number of issues, including:
• Tick rate affecting how fast doors open / close
• Tick rate causing players hitting the ground to stutter
• Tick rate affecting the firing mechanisms of certain guns

If you have been somewhere else (a cave?) you would have otherwise known Counter-Strike: Source Beta has been in limited testing phase since the beginning of May, or about 2 months ago.

The update is schedule to go "public" perhaps some time today (June 23rd).. CS: Source will also be launched for the Mac OS. What does this mean for everyone? well, if you currently own Counter-Strike: Source you will get the new and improved version of CS: Source via Steam update. This is the biggest update that has happened to CSS since 2004!

New Counter-Strike Source features

• 144 New Achievements added
• New lifetime player stats and summary screens
• New match player stats and summary screens
• New end of round display with MVP and interesting fact about a player
• Updated scoreboard with new icons, visual style, MVP stars, and avatar pictures
• New cinematic death camera
• New domination and revenge system
• Added avatar icons to voice chat, scoreboard, and end of round display
• Incorporated many source engine updates

There is a pretty good chance we can see this update later on today but don't get your hopes up too soon.. We do know that it's coming this week but most likely today!

Starting today, VALVe is offering everyone the opportunity to get Portal for free!

To get the game for free, simply login to your Steam account, search for Portal and add it to your game, or you can click here to access the Steam page directly. After you add the game it will register the game onto your Steam account. This offer is valid only until May 24th so act now!

An update to the Steam Client has been released.. Changes with this update:

Steam Client

• Win32 side support for Steam Play / Steam Cloud integration with upcoming Mac titles
• Fix a regression causing Steam to fail if installed in a path with non-ascii characters
• Fix to grant achievements based on stat progress if progress is 100% but the achievement was not previously granted
• Fix a case where opt-in free games like the Counter-Strike: Source Beta would not appear in the library view until installed.

As always, restart Steam to get the update.

Updates to the Source SDK have been released. Those that have the SDK installed should restart Steam to get the updates.