Valve Wants Console Team Fortress 2 Maps to Stay Free

Valve Software has said it hopes to be able to offer Team Fortress 2 maps for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 as free downloadable content.

Speaking to Eurogamer, Valve's Doug Lombardi said downloadable maps for the console versions of the popular FPS would be coming in bundles, but that Valve was still attempting to have them released at no charge. "For free, definitely, as much as we can," he said, when asked if the bundling would affect the cost of the maps. "You know, we don't have full say over that, but we have some say over how that works."

"So, for us, for free is the way to go," he continued. "The gamers play the game, they want to keep playing the game, so we've collected their fifty bucks at the start, and once they're in the park, they can ride any ride they want in the park. So, for us that's been the philosophy."

That philosophy comes from Valve's roots as a PC developer, where extra content including maps and mods are typically available at no extra cost, and Lombardi said the good public relations created by such generous post-purchase support is also a driving factor. "For us, we see it as an investment on our next product. Gamers won't hesitate when they see a game coming out from Valve," he said. "They'll think, "I've heard of this but will it be worth my money?" We want to take that off the table."

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Cheers to them! The original TF2 maps are becoming boring and Microsoft points are just annoying.

"The gamers play the game, they want to keep playing the game, so we've collected their fifty bucks at the start, and once they're in the park, they can ride any ride they want in the park. So, for us that's been the philosophy."

And that's what makes them great - not trying to extract repeating payments or push a subscription service, just selling a game and making it awesome.

Man I love these guys. They seem to really know how to make business work for them and their customers. Make great games, and then support them well, with the interests of their players in mind.
I wonder if Microsoft will make a price, however small, mandatory for such downloadable content though.

They see ways to exploit the people... and the go the other direction. These guys are so cool. I wish they start a trend like this.

Why does it seem that every single thing valve says just makes me love them more and more. It might just be an example of justified fanboyism. They're genuinely nice, intelligent people who dont have a drop of greed in their souls (well, trace elements, sure. but who doesnt?).

While I agree with everything that has been said above, I have to admit I'm still a little pissed with Valve for dropping the Black Box. The idea that all the existing PC fans will buy a second copy of HL2 and Ep1 was ludicrous. Even Yahtzee comments on this in his Zero Punctuation review.

Valve: they've given an unprecedented amount of support to their fans since the launch of Half-Life, they have created an amazing series of games, they have developed a direct way of getting new games and they continue to improve their services.
On the other hand, they did shaft the majority of their fanbase by making them rebuy HL2.

I still applaud everything they are doing, just not as loudly as I used to...

They didn't shaft their customers by including HL2, that was included so new people could play it, you guys with it paid for TF2, ep1 nd 2 and Portal.

To me, Portal or TF2 alone were worth the price of admission, and if they'd bundled Half Life 1 in with it, I wouldn't have been complaining that I already had it.

As for MS and Sony, I can't see them being at all happy with allowing free stuff to get thru their networks to customers (no, not gamers, customers), when Valve could have charged and therefore got them a cut. If they see sense and let Valve do what they want, then it'll be a great thing, however.

As an owner of the PC version of TF2, I'm consistently amazed at how much free stuff they've thrown at it, its like they've already added enough to warrant and expansion pack, for nothing.

When Ep3 and Portal 2, and ...something else make up the Turquoise Box, I won't be wondering if it'll be worth it, that's for sure.

SenseOfTumour:
They didn't shaft their customers by including HL2, that was included so new people could play it, you guys with it paid for TF2, ep1 nd 2 and Portal.

To me, Portal or TF2 alone were worth the price of admission, and if they'd bundled Half Life 1 in with it, I wouldn't have been complaining that I already had it.

As for MS and Sony, I can't see them being at all happy with allowing free stuff to get thru their networks to customers (no, not gamers, customers), when Valve could have charged and therefore got them a cut. If they see sense and let Valve do what they want, then it'll be a great thing, however.

As an owner of the PC version of TF2, I'm consistently amazed at how much free stuff they've thrown at it, its like they've already added enough to warrant and expansion pack, for nothing.

When Ep3 and Portal 2, and ...something else make up the Turquoise Box, I won't be wondering if it'll be worth it, that's for sure.

It's ep 3, Portal 2 and Counterstrike 2, and I think something else that hasn't been announced

SenseOfTumour:
They didn't shaft their customers by including HL2, that was included so new people could play it, you guys with it paid for TF2, ep1 nd 2 and Portal.

To me, Portal or TF2 alone were worth the price of admission, and if they'd bundled Half Life 1 in with it, I wouldn't have been complaining that I already had it.

As for MS and Sony, I can't see them being at all happy with allowing free stuff to get thru their networks to customers (no, not gamers, customers), when Valve could have charged and therefore got them a cut. If they see sense and let Valve do what they want, then it'll be a great thing, however.

As an owner of the PC version of TF2, I'm consistently amazed at how much free stuff they've thrown at it, its like they've already added enough to warrant and expansion pack, for nothing.

When Ep3 and Portal 2, and ...something else make up the Turquoise Box, I won't be wondering if it'll be worth it, that's for sure.

I think the MS ones are already going to have to be paid for, or am I thinking about the Class Updates?

Deathlyphil:
While I agree with everything that has been said above, I have to admit I'm still a little pissed with Valve for dropping the Black Box. The idea that all the existing PC fans will buy a second copy of HL2 and Ep1 was ludicrous. Even Yahtzee comments on this in his Zero Punctuation review.

I think some people lose perspective with Valve. I fail to see the logic in complaining when a package contains two extra games, but for no increase in cost and on top of all the new content you were paying for anyway. Even if you already own them thousands don't. Can you see EA ever offering such a good deal?

Anyway, more power to Valve for trying to help console players. Sadly I can see some lawyers making big scary contract rumblings...

If I was Valve I'd be seriously pissed that Sony and MS were effectively forcing me to screw my own customers tho.

MS and Sony had better at least allow the updates cheap, if they can't see all the benefits of letting them slide thru free.

I honestly wouldn't mind paying for it, but..... whenever I do pay for extra content for a multiplayer game, I find that I'm ussually the only one who does, meaning I can't play against anyone. Thats generally the problem.

Cheers to valve!