In a move that will likely send a few shockwaves through the comparatively crummy free-to-play online shooter market, Team Fortress 2, Valve's hilariously goofy and still-popular online-multiplayer-focused shooter, is officially free on Steam from here on out.
The announcement initially came as part of a Develop interview with TF2 project lead Robin Walker, and was later confirmed via press release late last night.
The free-to-play announcement comes as part of the massive "Über Update," which Valve describes as the biggest content update the game has received since the game's launch in 2007.
The only form of montetization TF2 will employ from now until eternity is via microtransactions. Players can purchase items from the game's store, but beyond that, the game is free, free, free.
How does all this rub you, the current, or prospective TF2 player? Free-to-play often has a bit of a filthy connotation to it, but given that this is Valve, and that TF2 is already a known quantity (an awesome known quantity, at that), it's hard to see how this could be anything but a good thing for the growth of the TF2 community at this stage of the game's lifespan.
I mean, I already own the Orange Box version of TF2 on Xbox 360, and I'm currently downloading the Steam version as we speak. Because seriously, why the hell not, right?