Team Fortress 2 update lets players buy items, prices range from $0.49 to $4.99

You may want to sit down for this one, innocent, doe-eyed gamer. Valve – the gaming company that no matter how rich they may or may not be always has your best interests in mind – has just released an update to the oft-updated Team Fortress 2 that is going to radically alter your worldview. You see, in-game items are no longer things you earn through sheer digi-work and e-sweat; the so-called "Mann-conomy Update" will allow players to use actual Earth bucks to purchase items. How many items? Valve's Robin Walker tells PC Gamer, "It's roughly the equivalent of 60% of the items we have released in the 120+ prior updates." So, a lot.

Item cost will range from $0.49 to $4.99 and "community item contributors will get paid based on the sales of their items." Instead of using an in-game wallet, Team Fortress 2's Mann Co. Store will use the Steam Wallet service which is available for in-game purchases in any Steam game. In addition to making items available for sale, the update also adds item trading, item customization, a dueling minigame, mystery item crates, and item sets. It's a lot of stuff, is what we're saying. Read the source links below for all the gory (or exciting, depending on your perspective) details.

Reader Comments (68)

@Mr Esc is the namesarcasm is my

No, they said that the current drop-rate for items is still the same, no changes.

I just wish the servers would stop acting up

Its if/when they start adding weapons and gear to the cash shop that you can't acquire by any other means that I'm going to start disliking valve.

So far its gravy, Tho it would also be nice if they somehow filtered some of that valve money towards the dedicated VAC secured servers.

@Scuffles If I understand correctly, there is exactly ONE item that doesn't drop in game... and that's the key to the locked chests that are now appearing as random (rare?) drops.

Said box tells you what items may be in it in its description, though. Since the box is a drop, you can trade it to others if you don't feel lucky.

I havent played TF2 in a long while. Sounds like it has turned into an MMO lite. lame

@Khazidhea

You haven't played TF2 in a long while. Sounds like you're trolling about a topic you know nothing about. lame

Doesn't matter, I'm not going to spend $4.99 on an item for a game I paid $5 for.

This makes the Steam Wallet addition makes sense.

Perhaps you could clear this up, Christopher G: The items must be paid for now, or can you still earn them?

Either way, sounds smart. I don't play TF2, but cosmetic upgrades have always been a thing I could (couldn't) care less about and am glad they are for-pay if people with money to burn want to support the developers.

Also, Mr. Grant, would you tell me what the status is on weapons/etc.? I'm assuming they are still entirely free.

@Its X with Guns

Funny story: I can't RUN TF2 on my PC. But I do own it and would play if the particles didn't make my rate of frames drop to nothing.

well, this would explain why I seem to be getting 1 item every ten hours I play. They want to make it so you start thinking about buying it with real buckazoids.

@warmonk No, thats the same drop rate is has always been.

LOL!! I blame all the people who didnt boycott LFD2

Actually the prices range from $0.49 to $17.49.
Please don't try to underplay it Joystiq.
Loving my free "Mann Co. Hat" BTW.

Those who pay for the weapons are "lazy" in the sense of staring at a PC screen all day kind of lazy. The extra features they've added, such as mini duels and the paint (that only paints hats, by the way) is very interesting.

Bad article that is totally does not know what valve fans are like.

They released tf2 on the orange box which was the greatest video gaming deal ever. They then put tf2 on sale for $2.5. Then then put up 3 YEARS worth of FREE updates including totally non essential ones like the meet the team videos and hilarious blog posts, included community maps and content in the game. Now if you read the blog posts you'd know exactly why no one minds these microtransactions.

Tf2 is a brilliant game and valve is an awesome studio. The only mis step so far has beent he L4D 2 coming so early.

oh and EPISODE 3 PLZ!

@tenseiga

I'm with you. With over 200 hours spent on TF2 I feel confortable spending $0.49 on a weapon I've never gotten and a free hat.

I hate to say it, but... I actually bought the Polycount items. Even after crafting a few of the weapons.

I figure, I've put in over 800 hours of playtime into the game, I can afford to pay Valve more than the $10 the game cost me as part of the Orange Box.

Of course, now that trading is in the game, I'll give the items I did create to some of my friends in the game.

what I want to know is, can I get the items via achievement milestones or am I subjected to the luck of the draw now. If so, this is a bad move - one that may cause me to stop playing.

I have the worst luck in finding items - and when I do, its always ones I have. But I never get what I need to craft what I want. I don't have a lot of friends who play this game so trading is more difficult as well.

Id rather earn them than just waiting for items to randomly choose me. If its going to take me 3 months of playing before I get the item I want, then its game over for me.

Team Fortress 2

Team Fortress 2 update lets players buy items, prices range from $0.49 to $4.99

Reader Comments (68)

Posted: Sep 30th 2010 4:51PM Bryan H said

Posted: Sep 30th 2010 5:12PM Scuffles said

Posted: Sep 30th 2010 5:16PM Scuffles said

Posted: Oct 1st 2010 1:28AM Powerlord said

Posted: Sep 30th 2010 5:27PM Khazidhea said

Posted: Sep 30th 2010 6:09PM Temidien said

Posted: Sep 30th 2010 5:42PM BlueRajasmyk said

Posted: Sep 30th 2010 6:12PM Its X with Guns said

Posted: Sep 30th 2010 6:14PM Its X with Guns said

Posted: Sep 30th 2010 7:08PM warmonk said

Posted: Sep 30th 2010 9:47PM iceykitsune said

Posted: Sep 30th 2010 7:36PM Richstall said

Posted: Sep 30th 2010 10:33PM mcnichoj said

Posted: Sep 30th 2010 11:56PM ColorblindMonk said

Posted: Oct 1st 2010 12:05AM tenseiga said

Posted: Oct 1st 2010 2:56AM Dante G said

Posted: Oct 1st 2010 1:31AM Powerlord said

Posted: Oct 1st 2010 10:44AM Rahabib said

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