Steam Trading beta lets you exchange in-game items for games

by Ben Gilbert on Aug 10th 2011 1:30PM

It may still be known officially as "Steam," but after this week's announcement of the Steam Trading beta, we're referring to the service's virtual world as "Bartertown." As of today, Steam users can opt-in to the "Steam Trading" beta program, giving them the opportunity to trade Team Fortress 2 items and Steam gifts with other Steam users.

For now, the only game that supports the trading of items is Team Fortress 2, but Valve says support for Portal 2 will arrive "reasonably soon," and that it plans on offering support for "several third-party games in the next few months." Interested parties can participate by simply heading into the Steam client settings and selecting the option to opt-in to the Steam Trading beta. As participants ourselves, for the next 12 hours we'll be accepting any and all copies of full games for a very special, one-of-a-kind Team Fortress 2 hat, hand-selected by the Joystiq staff member of your choice*.

*Choice is limited to Joystiq staff members available at time of trade. Joystiq reserves the right to refuse choice based on a variety of factors, but mostly whim.

Source: Valve, Valve

Tags: beta, mac, pc, portal-2, steam, steam-trading, steam-trading-beta, Team-Fortress-2, valve, valve-software

Reader Comments (44)

I have 2 extra copies of Portal, what will that get me?

@Gibbeynator a handy?

@Revengez A Handyman's Handle sounds about right, yeah. Maybe something like 10 Madame Dixies too

I will swap you team fortress 2.

@Mr Esc is the namesarcasm is my It the free to play one as well.

Wow, I love Steam and all so don't get me wrong, but I can't believe people actually buy cosmetic items so much that they are seriously updating the trade service to do this (just says to me they must make a good chunk of change to actually incorporate this kind of trading).

Not a knock on steam at all, in fact it's great they're doing this since it will probably result in cheap games for me, but man...How vain must people be?

@Jazzy Crunch

Yep. I just unboxed my first crate a few days ago and got an Unusual Brain Bucket. I put it up for bid on UTC and SourceOP, and the current bid is $120.

It's amazing what people will pay for these things.

@Jazzy Crunch
Though I agree with most of your comment, are you sure you meant to say people are "vain" to buy in-game cosmetic items?
You probably meant "foolish."

@Jazzy Crunch

It's fine by me, I never liked all this cosmetic crap anyways. Free games!

@Marshillboy

Exactly, hell, this is almost more reason to get on the game, play until I get all my items for the week, and just go about my business.

Hey, if I can at some point trade items (or metal, really) for a videogame, people can spend their money however they want, because as far as I'm concerned, that's like getting paid in videogames to play a videogame!

@Jazzy Crunch

I don't buy any of that stuff, but I don't get why people look down on them.

Wal-Mart sells t-shits for 3 bucks a piece, yet people endlessly spend much more than that for clothing that has their favorite sports team or a brand name or a cool design or whatever.

Further, I'm sure just about everyone here has at some point spent a little extra to get the controller in the color they want, or put some cool case mods on their computer, or done one of a million other things that are essentially dressing up something that no one else cares about.

@Jazzy Crunch

I love how you apologized *TWICE* for having any kind of criticizing opinion about Steam...

"Wow, I love Steam and all so don't get me wrong..."

"Not a knock on steam at all..."

This is the result of this generations attitude about systems/platforms/game developers... "You must say something nice about __________ or feel my neeerrddd rage"

@Jazzy Crunch its customization. Not everything is purchased...You can craft most of the items and weapons (outside of pre-order items)

@PR0F3TA

Oh, also, "this generation's" attitude? I'm currently 20 years old and have been playing games since I was a five year old, but hey, far be it from me to stop you from being a presumptuous ass

@PR0F3TA

Hm, not sure why joystiq didn't post my first response...

But um, yea, the article is talking about Steam implementing a new trade feature. I was just clarifying my statement was directed at the customers that buy into it, who are not mentioned at all in the article.

My apologies for clarifying my point, I suppose next time I feel like posting something on an internet forum, I'll control myself and just quietly lurk and wait for someone else to post something relevant to the article and bitch about said post without contributing anything.

Sorry my post induced so much "nerd-rage" you felt compelled to respond with a completely unfounded assumption that was in no way related to what I was talking about, or what the article is talking about.

Valve says support for Portal 2 will arrive "reasonably soon,"

Valve says........ "reasonably soon,"

@ClarkyAC Reasonably soon by Valve time.

@ClarkyAC 257 Comments
Don't you mean Value says?

Wait, so you can buy, play, and complete a game, and then trade it for another game? That is...pretty damn awesome, assuming I understood it right. That fear of "you can't trade digital games with your friends" is slowly withering away.

Steam - you are awesome.

@The Harbinger of Pie

Mmm...just re-read..Steam gifts I see....

@The Harbinger of Pie You're misunderstanding what's going on... Only giftable games that you purchased, or someone sent me that you have 2 of you can trade. (I.e, Bought Portal already, got it again for buying Portal 2 and can gift it... Can trade extra Portal 1 for items.)

@The Harbinger of Pie I'm fairly sure if you want to trade a game it has to be a newly bought gift game. However, this is still awesome. Free games ftw.

@The Harbinger of Pie

It's only gifts and free copies right now, but something that could become pretty big is getting a game when it's on sale for a good price, OR getting one of those buy 4 for the price of 3 family bundles, and getting some trades that way.

@The Harbinger of Pie You actually didn't understand it right. You can only trade GIFTS.

If this means there's a profitable way for me to gift Metro 2033 to someone I'm happy.

Oh, and apparently Frozen Synapse as well (forgot you get 2 copies :D).

@liquidsoap89

http://steamcommunity.com/id/djpxh/inventory/

Let me know if u want anything for FS :)

@liquidsoap89 id like to trade for either game

http://steamcommunity.com/id/Link408/inventory/
i can buy Gift Wrap for any item you want that isnt tradeable

@Link408 or anyone else for that matter

WELL...

Valve HAS disappointed us with their "reasonable" coming soon announcements...

And on the note of unusuals on TF2: Trade Post

I may have been trading unusuals to get to a certain one... but you'll never see me drop $100+ for a friggin' hat.

If anyone has any SENSIBLE offers, add Noble051 on Steam

One thing I didn't think about when first posting that I think is worth some thought, though...

I wonder if certain games will be more vauluable than others that are the same price because they are better games. XD

Huh. I wonder what my Sam and Max TF2 items could get me.

@Mr Esc is the namesarcasm is my I would generally pay more than $20 for the Holy Grail.

@Rather Dashing
I sold mine for $275 last year.
Best item ever.

@akeso Heh, I'm too attached to mine, even for that much.

I have a copy of Cogs and Portal 1 to trade for a unique item :)

how am I are supposed to get said hat from joystiq?

People should read the FAQ. That would answer a whole lot of your questions. It's the second source at the bottom of the article. Or you can just click on this.

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=6748-ETSG-5417

I wish I didn't sign up for this. I did, then I reset Steam as it asked.

It's downloading EVERY SINGLE ONE of my games again. I have over 100.

@Softserve Didn't do that for me on either of my computers, it would really suck for me, I have over 300.

@thelolotov It eventually stopped at like 25 of the games. I lucked out. I suppose it could be a coincidence, but considering I log into Steam almost daily it's still a weird one.

This is just more turning Team Fortress 2 into World of Warcraft. I just wish I could play TF2 like it was when I first bought it where everyone had the same weapons. I don't want to keep track of all the new weapons and their powers that are always being released.

They always seem to create a really powerful weapon, have everyone buy it, and then nerf it. Conspiracy?

The biggest BS is getting a box that I need to pay to unlock. F*** you Valve. I am not into the Mystery Box. I don't need random loot drops like I a WoW addict or a slot machine addict.

I have a Vintage Tyrant's helm that I'd trade for a good game. XD

@Accessgranted

just to mention I have almost all valve games except half-life blue shift,l4d1, and cs:s. if anyone has cs:s I'd do it for that or something else.

Hey Valve, can I trade all of my games for a beta of Half-Life 3?

Team Fortress 2

Steam Trading beta lets you exchange in-game items for games

Reader Comments (44)

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 1:36PM Gibbeynator said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 1:39PM Revengez said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 4:31PM Nap said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 1:38PM byaboy said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 5:03PM byaboy said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 1:39PM Jazzy Crunch said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 1:45PM JDBar said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 1:45PM Seasick Pirate said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 1:45PM Marshillboy said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 2:02PM Jazzy Crunch said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 2:32PM Vcize said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 2:43PM PR0F3TA said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 3:48PM sammo21 said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 4:07PM Jazzy Crunch said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 4:13PM Jazzy Crunch said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 1:44PM ClarkyAC said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 1:47PM Faceless Troll said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 2:06PM Dance Mofo said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 1:50PM The Harbinger of Pie said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 1:58PM The Harbinger of Pie said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 1:58PM Revengez said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 2:00PM blackangel209 said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 2:00PM liquidsoap89 said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 2:01PM Qurao said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 1:58PM liquidsoap89 said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 5:10PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 11th 2011 12:14AM Link408 said

Posted: Aug 11th 2011 12:16AM Link408 said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 2:03PM DrNoble said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 2:05PM Jazzy Crunch said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 2:06PM Rather Dashing said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 2:44PM Rather Dashing said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 2:57PM akeso said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 4:00PM thelolotov said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 2:09PM ianoo said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 2:11PM Captain Underpants and the Bring said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 2:12PM Ospov said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 3:12PM Softserve said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 3:58PM thelolotov said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 4:25PM Softserve said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 4:03PM FriedConsole said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 4:53PM Accessgranted said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 4:55PM Accessgranted said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 9:59PM dgoe said

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