Fans of free-to-play Team Fortress 2 are writing letters to Valve. They're demanding a feature that F2P users have lacked for years
Nearly five years ago, Valve muted free accounts in Team Fortress 2. Now fans are calling for those restrictions to be lifted out of concern for the future of the iconic FPS.
Team Fortress 2 fans are fighting for a voice for free-to-play players in the cult shooter.
Over the last few years, to say the least, Valve hasn't really been developing TF2, despite the unwavering popularity of this game. That's why fans were so delighted with the recent gift from the company, which effectively handed the title over to the community, which has long been responsible for most of the new features.
However, this doesn't mean that Valve did nothing at all since the release of Jungle Inferno in 2017. It's enough to recall the fight against cheaters, which cleared the public game servers of the hated bots. While this particular change (and minor updates) was welcomed with open arms, one "improvement" didn't receive the applause of Team Fortress 2 fans.
Pay-to-talk
In July 2020, Valve disabled voice and text chat for people with free accounts in TF2 (users who have never made a purchase in the Mann Co. store within the game or didn't buy The Orange Box). The reason was most likely the aforementioned bots, which tended to spam the chat, making it difficult to kick them out.
However, this particular form of fighting the AI plague did not gain recognition from players. Upgrading to a premium account is not expensive (any purchase in the Mann Co. store is sufficient, for instance, a standard key for 2 bucks). However, the fact that a player has to buy access to chat on official servers has been considered by many to be a bizarre decision on Valve's part.
Let's set aside the fact that pseudo-players who sent bots to servers were willing to spend money to unlock chat for their "darlings." In practice, the restriction primarily affected real users with free accounts.
The right to voice for F2P is the future of TF2
From the start, there were voices urging Valve to reverse this decision. This sentiment has gained strength in recent years - bots in Team Fortress 2 have become a rarity.
Hence the posts, numerous and usually approved by many internet users, whose authors asked: what is the point of further "silencing" F2P players? Not to mention people who are just starting their adventure with the game and don't understand why they can't talk or even call a medic (because the block also applies to built-in voice commands).
Apparently, some fans decided that they needed to take it a step further. The result is an open letter to Valve published by fans, with arguments for giving "voice" to free-to-play accounts in Team Fortress 2. Players can express their support by submitting a virtual signature.
Besides the arguments mentioned earlier, the letter's authors claim that while Valve's initial intention was "understandable," it ultimately damages the game over time. Team Fortress 2 is, after all, a team-based FPS, and "without communication, there is no teamwork." This makes it difficult for new players to learn the game, not to mention taking away the pleasure of interacting with other participants in sessions on official Valve servers.
Fans also suggest that Team Fortress 2 needs "fresh blood" to survive - and this is mainly represented by players with free accounts. At the same time, the existing restrictions might deter these "newbies" who could already be reluctant to "learn" a game alongside so many seasoned veterans.
Therefore, as the majority of players agree, Valve should restore the right to speak (literally) to F2P accounts. And at least give them access to voice commands.
- Valve Finally Fixes Team Fortress 2 Bug After 17 Years. Fans Will Have to Get Used to „New” Scout
- Team Fortress 2 with finale after 7 years. Last comic issue is worthy conclusion to TF2 story
- Valve is finally putting Team Fortress 2 in the hands of fans. Players received source code for the popular shooter
