Shacknews carries word from Valve marketing director Doug Lombardi that downloadable content is in the pipeline for the Xbox 360 version of Team Fortress 2.

“We’re looking at bringing the Goldrush and the new achievements and stuff out to the 360,” Lombardi is quoted as saying. “How and when is still sort of being determined, on pricing and that kind of stuff. On the PC it’s sort of wide open, you can release stuff whenever you want. On the console there’s a little bit more of a pathway.”

Lombardi further noted that they have been waiting for a “critical mass of new content” before releasing something for the console. He hopes that the company will make announcements soon, though he wouldn’t offer any definite date. He also states that he “doesn’t know” if the DLC will be released for the PS3 or not.

Shacknews reports that Valve will release two new maps for Team Fortress 2 within the next two months. One of them is a remake of the original’s Badlands map, which places an emphasis on more vertically-oriented gameplay. No information was disclosed on the other map.

The studio will also release a Medic achievement pack, which will add several new achievements for the Medic class as well as make significant gameplay tweaks to that particular class. Apparently, more new content will debut eventually that will make “large scale modifications” to the core of the game.

The site carries clarification that the new maps will be released for the PC version of the game. It is not known if the maps will be available for the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game.

Valve announced that it has acquired Turtle Rock Studios, the Orange County-based development studio behind portions of Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, various Counter-Strike maps and the upcoming Left 4 Dead game.

The studio’s Left 4 Dead joins Valve’s game properties which includes the blockbuster Half-Life franchise, Counter-Strike, Team Fortress and Day of Defeat series of games, as well as Portal.

“We have been seeing very strong growth with Steam and Source, our content distribution and development platforms, up over 150% over the last 12 months. Given our expectations for Left 4 Dead and our long-standing relationships with members of the Turtle Rock team, this was an easy decision. It also gives us a base from which to expand our development activities in the Los Angeles area,” said Gabe Newell, president of Valve.

Left 4 Dead is now expected to be released this Summer on PC.

Gamers can now gift games to other users on Steam - be it a friend, family or a random stranger. The recipient will receive the game with a special message from the sender. This page has more details about gift purchases on Valve’s broadband delivery service.

AMD/ATI fans are in luck, as the company announced that owners of ATI Radeon graphic card owners are entitled to a pair of free games from Steam, Valve’s content delivery service. Eligible gamers can visit this page for details on how to get free copies of Half-Life 2: Lost Coast and Half-Life 2: Deathmatch as well as discounts on other Valve games.

This handy list on the Steam forums features colleges and universities whose networks allow/disallow the broadband delivery service from Valve. It also lists further details, such as where it works or not.

The fourth in a series of character profiles from Team Fortress 2 has been released. This one focuses on the Demoman, the demolitions expert. Enjoy.

If you’re into ads, then check out this Orange Box trailer.

Valve’s upcoming Orange Box will feature music from programmer-turned-musician Jonathan Coulton when it’s released later this week. He has composed a single which will be included in the title. He is known for his rendition of Sir Mix-a-Lot’s “Baby Got Back” as well as many of his original geek-friendly compositions.

“I am delighted the Valve design team selected me to help make the surprise single a success,” he said. “If it’s not every geek’s dream to be immortalized in a video game, it was mine.”

The November issue of PC Gamer magazine confirms the inevitable development of Half-Life 2: Episode Three, the third and final chapter in the sequel. Expectedly, the brief snippet does not divulge any new details on the coming game, but offers a spoiler. So, if you don’t want your experience of Episode Two spoiled, do not click on the above scan.

Both Half-Life 2: Episode Two and Portal have started pre-loading through Steam on customers’ computers, according to Valve. The idea of pre-loading is to gradually download a game in advance of its release; however, the files are encrypted and can only be unlocked on the day of the game’s release. Buying a physical copy sidesteps the pre-loading process, but even then customers of either medium have to activate the games through Steam to play them.

The Orange Box, which includes the two aforementioned titles as well as Team Fortress 2, will be released on PC and Xbox 360 on October 10, next Wednesday.

Some new pre-release screenshots from Team Fortress 2. The multiplayer shooter launches next week as part of the Orange Box, which includes Half-Life 2: Episode Two and Portal also.

Having completed a trial run, Valve has opened Steam Community to the public, offering gamers social networking and online multiplayer in one package.

The Steam Community lets gamers create a personal profile-a Steam ID-complete with a photo or avatar, biographical details, favorite lists, and other information. Community members can add peers to a personal Friends List that shows in real-time who’s online and available to chat or play a game. Accessible from within the Steam client or while playing a game, the Friends List makes it easy to invite friends to chat, play a game, or join a group.

Starting Monday, September 17, the Team Fortress 2 (TF2) beta opens to those who pre-purchaser The Orange Box via Steam and save 10% of the regular price. The Steam community features will allow TF2 players to track detailed player and team statistics and achievements records.

A new character video from Team Fortress 2 has been released, showing off the Engineer. As announced previously, those who preorder the Orange Box can start playing the game as soon as this week.

Chile-based developer ACE Team has licensed the Source engine for Zeno Clash, an upcoming action/fighting game for release on PC next year. Here’s the deal:

Zeno Clash is an action game with a strong focus on melee combat set in a punk fantasy world. Featuring up close and brutal combat in a first-person perspective, the game is played in battle scenarios where the adversaries are always dangerously close and the use of exotic firearms and artifacts is a commodity. The new close combat mechanics are a deviation from traditional shooting in the FPS genre that will feel fresh for players.

The first chapter is set in a fantastic & chaotic world where the main character has been exiled from his clan and hunted down by his own brothers. A desperate journey past the forbidden desert will bring him to the end of the world.

The game’s official website is up, dishing out some more information on the game. Check out the first screenshots below.