TEAM FORTRESS 2 IS NOW FREE TO PLAY.

Team Fortress 2-- Free to Play

So in addition to stalking the cavernous domains of the super-nerd region of the geek hobby world, I occasionally venture out into the realms of the "normal" nerd pastimes, and play plenty of dem vidya gaems.  The one I play the most is Team Fortress 2, which I have put over 900 hours into in the past few years. With constant updates, new maps, weapons, and game modes, the game does not get old.  It just keeps getting better and better.  And now, it is free.  Forever.

It makes sense, really.  Valve is making so much money off their in-game store, selling digital hats that only exist in the game for REAL WORLD MONEY, that they could literally DROWN Gabe Newell in cash (that might not seem that impressive, unless you know just how fucking fat Gabe is.  Like, The Blob from X-Men fat, and about twice as ugly).  Also, keys.  You get "crates" in random drops that can only be opened with a key.  That you have to buy for $2.50.  Seriously, I probably spent more on keys than I did on the game (and I bought it full price when it was new in The Orange Box for $50) before I realized that I was pissing away my moneys to open up in-game boxes that usually contained items I had already found in the game for free (I am an idiot, etc.).  If they can get a reasonable, intelligent dude to spend money on fancy digital hats and fake keys to open fake crates that contain fake items (and POSSIBLY, one of those fake fancy digital hats), imagine how much they can make off idiots with too much money and no idea what to do with their lives.  They don't need to sell their awesome game for $20 anymore.

Seriously, this is awesome and suck at the same time.  I'm totally happy that more people will be able to play.  Unfortunately, this means there will be an influx of TERRIBLE players that I will have to deal with.  You know, 13-year-old kids who think they're badass awesome killas just because they beat Halo on normal difficulty.  I will have to deal with their prepubescent banshee wails as they complain that I am HAXING because I know how to rocket jump and juggle when playing soldier (at least, until I mute their asses).  Oh well.  Enjoy getting your internal organs handed to ya, kid.  When the day is done, at least I can get in my car and drive to a bar to drink some beer and enjoy the company of real people (defensive much Lance?  Yeah, I know.  I have problems.  Deal with it.  That goes for you, and me).

Peace out-  The Lance