Flipped Beanie said:
You just have to hope Valve isn't going to pull the Rift shit again. If you bought Rift, you got "genuine" versions of the weapons. If you crafted them, you got the shittier versions of the weapons. As long as Valve doesn't pull that again, item-lovers, go nuts. I stopped playing TF2 long time ago.
Ummm, you realize that the only difference between the "genuine" version and "regular" one is the title, right? They have the exact same gameplay attributes no matter which one you use.
I have mixed feelings about the continued updates, though overall I'm still supportive of it. I don't really care about hats, but trying out new weapons is fun, especially since they're (mostly) pretty balanced. Because the weapons are sidegrades, it's not really an issue of "pay to win" if folks get them through the Mann Co. Store.
I do have one major issue with all these new items however; it can make gameplay a bit too unpredictable at times. Before the updates, it was easier to know how to deal with enemies because each class had its own distinct weapons that helped define its proper role on the battlefield. For example, Pyros were one of the worst classes for long distances due to the short range of their flamethrower and shotgun. That changed after the Pyro update, when the Flare Gun was introduced. Now you don't know if the Pyro's still weak at range or if he's going to snipe you with flare rounds.
A more extreme example is the Demoman. While engaging in melee combat was pretty much a last-resort strategy for players, now it's wholeheartedly encouraged with the various "Demoknight" items. These alternate playstyles are fun to use, but it blurs the line between combat roles for the classes, making it harder to adapt to what the enemy might throw at you.