Team Fortress 2 voice actors perform 'Sandvich Blues', a sorrowful ode to a lost lunch

Team Fortress 2 was released in 2007 and since then has had a unique afterlife. Partly that's down to the sheer quality of the game which, post-launch tweaks and additions aside, arrived perfectly formed, with an ageless aesthetic and an anarchically funny approach to world-building. Each of its nine characters is composed of their look, a handful of voice lines, and a 'Meet the Team' vignette. But from these elements, Valve's designers and the actors involved have crafted ornery archetypes that stood the test of time.

In recent years some of the TF2 voice cast has been meeting up to reprise their roles in various sketches and videos. But nothing will quite prepare you for this. At an event called Meet the Mercs held earlier this month, hosted at Boxley's Jazz Club, members of the TF2 voice cast premiered the newest addition to TF2 lore: a track called Sandvich Blues.

The song and its lyrics are composed by John Lowrie (the Sniper), who alongside Robin Atkin Downes (Medic) is on guitar and vocals. Also on vocals we have Gary Schwartz (Heavy, Demoman) and Dennis Bateman (Spy), while on piano is Ellen McLain (the Administrator). The song details, in Lowrie's words, «the TF2 Mercs' struggle to find the Sandvich for Heavy.»

Yes this does all seem a bit like a fever dream. But it's real:

For those who haven't played TF2, the Sandvich is an iconic item that the Heavy can eat during a match to regain health. Ideally in full view of the enemy team. Selected lyrics:

Woke up this mornin', the Sandvich was gone.

Didn’t leave no note. Nothin' to go on.

Looked under the covers, under the sheet,

Now Heavy’s broken hearted, he’s got nothin' to eat!

We got the Sandvich Blues way down in our soul.

We got the Sandvich Blues way down in our soul.

This can’t be happnin', things are outta control.

Doc’s halucinatin', things are getting worse.

Spy is cogitatin', maybe it’s a curse!

Admin’s intimidatin', she’s nobody’s nurse!

If we don’t find the sandvich Heavy’s gonna need a