What do I need to know about Team Fortress 2 Free to Play?

For new players:

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 Team Fortress 2, you have a premium account. This includes purchasing the game before it was Free-To-Play, receiving the game as a gift that was purchased, activating a retail version, 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, 300 backpack slots to start compared to 50 for free accounts, and more powerful trading and crafting abilities. Otherwise, however, the gameplay experience will be identical for both accounts.

Account Comparison:

	Free	Premium
Backpack:	50 slots (expandable up to 2750)	300 slots (expandable up to 4000)
Items:	Standard	Standard, Rare, and Cosmetic
Crafting:	Limited blueprints, crafted items untradable	All blueprints, all previous and future crafted items tradable
Trading:	Receive items only, received items are tradable	Full trading
Gifting:	Can receive gifts	Can send 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 Team Fortress 2, 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 at 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, there are no upfront obligations to download and play Team Fortress 2 for free. However, you will need to use one of our accepted payment methods to fund your Steam Wallet to make purchases from the in-game Mann Co. Store.

Q. What is the Mann Co. Store?

The finest virtual item store in the world, easily accessible from within the Team Fortress 2 game client.

Q. What are the system requirements for Team Fortress 2?

Check the Team Fortress 2 game page for system requirements.

Q. What happens if I buy a retail copy of Team Fortress 2?

You will automatically be upgraded to a premium account and will be given 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.

For existing players:

Q. How does Free-to-Play affect existing users?

It doesn't. You can keep enjoying Team Fortress 2 as you have before, with all the features and content you've come to expect from Team Fortress 2.

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 Team Fortress 2 a special Proof of Purchase hat to wear on any character in-game.

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 special pair of glasses. Helping new users via the Coaching feature is a great way to meet new players and help them out!