Valve Says It's Working on a Free-to-Play Game

[John Funk]

Valve Says It's Working on a Free-to-Play Game

Valve's Steam distribution service is accepting free-to-play games now, perhaps because the developer is making one of its own.

Last week, Valve announced that it would now be offering free-to-play (F2P) games via Steam [http://store.steampowered.com/news/5657/], and from Wednesday to Sunday launched a new free title every day. Gamers could pick up titles like Spiral Knights, Champions Online: Free for All, and Global Agenda: Free Agent for free - as free, of course, as games built on microtransactions can be.

But while all of the launch F2P titles were by other studios and publishers, one couldn't help but wonder if Valve were planning on heading down this route as well. French gaming site Barre de Vie [http://www.barredevie.com/2529/valve-se-lance-dans-le-free-to-play-gratuit-gratuit-gratuit/] asked Valve's Doug Lombardi if the popular studio had any F2P projects in the works.

Lombardi's response was a characteristically terse and cryptic one: "Yes."

The rumor mills are inevitably going to start spinning here, as this could mean anything from a F2P version of Team Fortress 2 - and let's face it, with all those hats and microtransactions it might as well be a F2P game by now - or a completely new title.

Smart money, though, might say that this is Valve's upcoming DotA 2 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/104353-Valve-Confirms-DotA-2-for-2011]. After all, the F2P, microtransaction-based model has worked wonders for chief competitors like League of Legends. I mean, I just started playing LoL a bit over a week ago and I may or may not have already dropped a few dozen bucks on it.

Really, if Valve just completely copied the League of Legends payment and play model with DotA 2, the game would make a fortune.

(Via Gamasutra [http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/35330/Portals_Valve_Creating_FreeToPlay_Game.php])

Permalink

 

[Coranico]

But this will just make it harder for them to... TAKE MY DAMNED MONEY!

 

[Manicotti]

Oh god, yes. I've been playing LoL since March and I've probably dropped 50 or so on it. Putting Valve's name would just double that.

 

[Fappy]

Oh Mr. Funk is new to LoL huh? I hope the community doesn't chase you away. They are pretty obnoxious about new guys.

 

[John Funk]

Oh Mr. Funk is new to LoL huh? I hope the community doesn't chase you away. They are pretty obnoxious about new guys.

I'm a longtime DotA player. I'm used to it

 

[Art Axiv]

Oh Mr. Funk is new to LoL huh? I hope the community doesn't chase you away. They are pretty obnoxious about new guys.

I'm a longtime DotA player. I'm used to it

Though John, you must admit you have over-sensationalized the topic of this news post. Valve isn't doing a F2P, it's a rumor, not a fact.

Can you share your LOL handle so I can play some LOL with ya?

 

[Worgen]

Im surprised they still havent put league on steam oh well, Im having fun in champions

 

[Hungry Donner]

I'm hoping it's called "Episode Bloody @##$^#ing Three: Are You Guys Happy Now?!"

 

[richd213]

Here's a thought: release half life 3 for free and i will forgive you for my waiting anxiety.

 

[castlewise]

Wait, more free to play than Alien Swarm?

 

[Wicky_42]

I thought Valve had already done this - Alien Swarm was free

I love how now 'free to play' tacitly means 'micro-transactions to get all the content', like the full name would be "Free to play, but expensive to experience and/or enjoy". Ah well.

EDIT:

Wait, more free to play than Alien Swarm?

Blarg, you bleeding ninja Serves me right for expanding on my post

 

[John Funk]

Oh Mr. Funk is new to LoL huh? I hope the community doesn't chase you away. They are pretty obnoxious about new guys.

I'm a longtime DotA player. I'm used to it

Though John, you must admit you have over-sensationalized the topic of this news post. Valve isn't doing a F2P, it's a rumor, not a fact.

Can you share your LOL handle so I can play some LOL with ya?

Doug Lombardi was asked if Valve was working on any F2P projects. He said "Yes." That's pretty unambiguous to me, I think!

It's CFTFunk. Don't everyone add me all at once.

 

[Art Axiv]

Oh Mr. Funk is new to LoL huh? I hope the community doesn't chase you away. They are pretty obnoxious about new guys.

I'm a longtime DotA player. I'm used to it

Though John, you must admit you have over-sensationalized the topic of this news post. Valve isn't doing a F2P, it's a rumor, not a fact.

Can you share your LOL handle so I can play some LOL with ya?

Doug Lombardi was asked if Valve was working on any F2P projects. He said "Yes." That's pretty unambiguous to me, I think!

It's CFTFunk. Don't everyone add me all at once.

Yeah, sorry, my eyes failed to read the huge paragraph.. oh never mind, sorry >_>.
I'll add ya.

 

[Skizle]

this pretty much sum up LoL for me
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/6/10/

 

[Fappy]

Oh Mr. Funk is new to LoL huh? I hope the community doesn't chase you away. They are pretty obnoxious about new guys.

I'm a longtime DotA player. I'm used to it

Though John, you must admit you have over-sensationalized the topic of this news post. Valve isn't doing a F2P, it's a rumor, not a fact.

Can you share your LOL handle so I can play some LOL with ya?

Doug Lombardi was asked if Valve was working on any F2P projects. He said "Yes." That's pretty unambiguous to me, I think!

It's CFTFunk. Don't everyone add me all at once.

Don't wait to long to log-in unless you want to see 100+ friend requests at once XP (mine is Super Hammerdong btw... >.>)

And for anyone else interested in LoL, the final Championship game for season one is about to start: http://season-one-championship.na.leagueoflegends.com/

Here's hoping France loses

 

[HavoK 09]

Wait, more free to play than Alien Swarm?

free game=/= free 2 play

a f2p game usually includes a store of some sort where teh player can buy stuff with real money or an insane amount if in-game currency.

basically you can play the game all you want but you still have to play to get the best stuff or in some cases, work very hard for it.

for example League of Legends, almost like DotA, has a store like this and DotA 2 will probably have one aswell

 

[Buizel91]

So Runescape might be available on Steam...? Oooooh the joys -.-

Still, wonder what this is, me is keeping an eye on you valve...