Q. Who has a free account?
Anyone who has downloaded the game for free and has not made a purchase in the in-game Mann Co. store has a free account.
Q. Who has a premium account?
If you've ever spent money on TF2, you have a premium account. This
includes purchasing the game before it was Free-to-Play, activating a
retail version of the game, or making a purchase in the Mann Co. in-game
store.
Q. How is a free account different than a premium account?
Premium accounts have a few extra features, including access to rare
and cosmetic items through random item drops, the ability to store more
items in your backpack, and more powerful trading and crafting
abilities. Otherwise, the gameplay experience will be identical for both
accounts.
Account comparison:
|
Free |
Premium |
---|
Backpack: |
50 slots |
300 slots (expandable up to 1000) |
Items: |
Standard |
Standard, Rare and Cosmetic |
Crafting: |
Limited blueprints |
All blueprints |
Trading: |
Receive items only |
Full trading |
Gifting: |
Can receive gifts |
Can give and receive gifts |
Q. How much of the game can I play without paying anything?
The entire game can be played without making a purchase. All game
modes, classes, and maps are available. Nearly every weapon is
available through achievements, drops, or crafting.
Q. How do I play?
Install
Steam. Download TF2 and play! If you've never played before, going through some training is highly recommended.
Q. Is there a way to practice before I play online?
Yes. We offer helpful training campaigns that will teach you the basic
gameplay mechanics of various mercenaries. We also have a mode that
allows you to practice on an assortment of maps with CPU bots with a
variety of skill levels.
Q. How do I convert my free account to a premium account?
Make any purchase of any amount in the in-game Mann Co. store.
Q. Will I need a credit card to play?
No. However, to make purchases from the in-game Mann Co. Store you will need to use one of our
accepted payment methods.
Q. What is the Mann Co. Store?
The finest virtual item store in the world, easily accessible from within the TF2 game client.
Q. What are the system requirements?
Check the
Team Fortress 2 game page for Mac and PC requirements.
Q. What happens if I buy a retail copy of TF2?
You will automatically be upgraded to have a premium account and will
be given a special Proof of Purchase hat to wear on any character
in-game.
Q. How does Free-to-Play affect existing users?
It doesn’t. You can keep enjoying TF2 as you have before, with all the features and content you’ve come to expect from TF2.
Q. What do I get if I paid for the game?
To thank you for your years of support, we will be giving players who
have purchased TF2 a special Proof of Purchase hat to wear on any
character in-game.
Q. Won’t going Free to Play mean more griefers and cheaters?
We’re increasing our focus on making sure that hostile players can’t
ruin your fun. Specifically, we’ll be keeping a close eye on players
exploiting the ability to make infinite free accounts to bypass bans.
We’ve built systems that’ll allow us to measure and track what these
players are doing, and respond quickly.
Q. How does the Coaching feature work?
If a new player on a Free account upgrades to a premium
account and indicates that you were their most helpful friend, you will
receive a wearable item. Helping new users via the Coaching feature is a
great way to meet new players and help them out!