Released 10 October 2007 Developer Valve
A cartoon-styled team shooter in which two teams of players pick from nine character classes, such as the Scout, Medic and Heavy, and fight over objectives like capturing points or carrying a briefcase. It has been played online since 2007, and is aimed at teenagers and adults who enjoy fast, competitive matches.
How it makes money
Team Fortress 2 was sold in a box (as part of The Orange Box) from 2007 and became free to play on 23 June 2011. Valve now earns money from cosmetic items such as hats, sold in the in-game Mann Co. Store, and from crates that can only be opened with a paid key (a key costs roughly A$3, going by the lowest Steam Market listing on 22 October 2026). A free account has a small 50-slot backpack and limited trading and crafting until its first purchase of any amount, which makes it a 'premium' account. Typical spend can be nothing at all, but rare crate items are resold for much more.
Free since 23 June 2011. A free account has 50 backpack slots and limited trading and crafting; any purchase in the Mann Co. Store upgrades it to premium (300 slots, full trading, access to rare and cosmetic drops).
Mann Co. Supply Crates are opened with keys sold for money; 'Unusual' hats are the rare prize (nominally about a 1% chance). Valve blocked crate opening in Belgium and the Netherlands in July 2018, and New York's Attorney General sued Valve in February 2026 over loot boxes in this game, Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2.
The Mann Co. Store sells hats and other cosmetic items for real money. Valve says virtually all of its store items can also be found in-game.
Players can swap items with each other and sell them on the Steam Community Market for Steam Wallet funds, which can be spent on games and other items.
minor part of the gameFree accounts get a much smaller backpack, limited crafting and trading, and no rare or cosmetic drops until they make a first purchase. Unusual items are deliberately very rare.
minor part of the gameTF2 items are used on outside gambling sites, though less than Counter-Strike skins. Valve said in early 2017 that it would act against sites and accounts that gamble with TF2 items.
minor part of the gameFairer alternatives
What it costs
| What | Where | Price | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team Fortress 2 Free to play |
Steam (AU) · PC ↗ | Free | Oct 2026 |
| Mann Co. Supply Crate Key (lowest listing) Player-set market price, not a Valve store price; one key opens one crate |
Steam Community Market (AU) · PC ↗ | A$3.27 | Oct 2026 |
| The Orange Box Bundle that includes Team Fortress 2 and other Valve games |
Steam (AU) · PC ↗ | A$28.30 | Oct 2026 |
| Fight Songs: The Music of Team Fortress 2 Soundtrack |
Steam (AU) · PC ↗ | A$18.40 | Oct 2026 |
Store prices change often and sales are common; we record the regular price on the date shown.
Reviews from across the web
Scores belong to the outlets that published them; follow the links to read the full reviews. Summaries are ours.
Age ratings
Age ratings judge content (violence, language, gambling themes). They say little about how hard a game pushes spending — that's what the badges above are for. About rating boards
Safety & parental controls
Matches are played on public servers, including community servers run by third parties rather than by Valve, with open text and voice chat between strangers. Maps and cosmetics made by the community are distributed through the Steam Workshop. Steam's subscriber agreement requires users to be at least 13. Item trading and Steam Market sales are open to premium accounts and, as Wikipedia notes, have exposed players to fraud.
Platforms & release
| Platform | Released | Store |
|---|---|---|
| Windows PC Released in The Orange Box on 10 Oct 2007 (North America); standalone and free-to-play from 2011 |
10 October 2007 | Store page ↗ |
| Linux / Steam Deck | 14 February 2013 | Store page ↗ |
| PlayStation 3 As part of The Orange Box; PS3 servers were shut down on 29 March 2023 |
22 November 2007 | — |
| Xbox 360 As part of The Orange Box |
10 October 2007 | — |
Facts last checked 22 October 2026. Sources: store.steampowered.com, store.steampowered.com, www.teamfortress.com, www.teamfortress.com, en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, ag.ny.gov, store.steampowered.com, steamcommunity.com, www.metacritic.com, pegi.info. Spotted something wrong? Send a correction.