With the release of Overwatch, many gamers have been claiming how it will be the game that “kills” Team Fortress 2. I doubt that that will happen, as it very rarely ends up going that way. People who have become invested in a game don’t abandon it forever over one release. Even if that game is very good. TF2 is no exception It did get me thinking though.
The reason so many people are saying Overwatch kill TF2 is because it shows just how highly they think of the game. Because TF2 is such a massively well known and long lasting game that outdoing it it is considered quite the achievement. It is, after all, still doing quite well after nearly nine years, with tens of thousands of people playing it every day. But how did it get to be like that?
Brand Recognition
Ok, there’s no getting around the fact that TF2 had the deck stacked in its favor from the very beginning. If a startup company had released it as their first project, it wouldn’t have done half as well. Even if the level of quality was exactly the same. Valve had earned a reputation among gamers as one of the best developers out there, particularly with the Half-Life series.
In fact, TF2 was able to directly piggyback off of Half-Life’s fame by being part of the Orange Box. Bundled together with the latest installment of Half-Life, Valve was able to directly introduce TF2 to the massive fanbase that it had built up. Millions of people, many of which had probably never heard of the original Team Fortress, now had a copy of the sequel. With this, Valve took the first and most important step to creating a long lasting game. Getting it out there.
Constant New Content
Most online shooters have a handful of updates before they stop. At that point they’re content to let the player base slowly drip away. Particularly in franchises with regular releases. Valve is different in their approach however, and there hasn’t been so much of a stream of new content, as there is a flood. Since the game’s inital release, we’ve seen the addition of new maps, new weapons, new taunts, the never-ending swarm of hats, Halloween modes, Mann vs Machine, contracts, and competitive mode.
All of this keeps players coming back to the game. It keeps it fresh and allows for more and more scenarios to be explored. Heck, taunts such as Conga and Kazotsky Kick are so popular they’ve practically become memetic. People simply like getting new weapons and items for their favorite classes. It’s why so many players were so enthusiastic about the recent Heavy vs Pyro event. There’s personal attachment there, and Valve has been capitalizing on it over the years.
It’s not just in-game content either, TF2’s fans utterly adore the supplementary material as well. Valve’s animated shorts are utterly swamped with viewers, with many of them having over ten-million views each. The well known Meet the X videos were greatly anticipated even years after the game was released. The comics aren’t on the same level of popularity, but still do a lot to help expand the game and the characters. The recent numbered comics in particular develop them greatly. With good character moments along with excitement and laughs.
All of this manages to keep fan attention and investment on the game and the franchise as a whole. In a world where gaming related media is being released at a particularly fast rate, that is quite an accomplishment.
Characters and the Work They Inspire
TF2 is unique in that it has nine incredibly memorable characters with a ton of dialogue and humorous qualities. I can type out “What sick man sends babies to fight me?” and “Well, off to visit your mother,” and I’m certain most people will hear the voices of the Heavy and Spy. Valve simply keeps adding onto their characters, utilizing the aforementioned new content to build them up.
They’re utterly unique from a gameplay standpoint as well. Very few games manage to have a wide cast of characters that all feel unique, viable, and have so many alternate play styles. These play styles actively compliment the characters and help form player opinion on the characters. Spy wouldn’t seem half as trollish if he didn’t ruin your day by insta-killing you from behind.
This leads to one of the things that has no doubt played a massive role in keeping TF2 afloat, the fan works. Stories, mods, comics, memes, and videos created with GMod and SFM, the videos in particular being the most popular. Some of them, such as Live and Let Spy, are so popular that they rival the official work in views. These works help keep interest in TF2 alive, and many people might find themselves in the mood for a quick round after enjoying one.
Valve actually encourages fan works of TF2 with the Saxxys. Every year they hold their contest in order to see who can make the best videos regarding TF2, and even now it’s going on strong. It seems that Valve agrees with the concept that fan works help keep people interested in the game. Combined with the appeal and humorous aspect of being able to use a parody of an Oscar as an in game weapon if you win, and you have an event that people flock to every year.
Going Free To Play
This direction for the game was always a bit of a controversial one. Many felt that it wasn’t fair to those who had paid money for the game. This is a debate for another time though, as right now the topic at hand is why TF2 has lasted for as long as it has. If Evolve has proven anything, it’s that gamers are more willing to try a game out if they don’t have to put down money first.
The only drawback to not paying for the game is a limited access to the game’s items, crafting and trading system. Even then this can be worked around by making a single in game purchase, no matter how limited. Someone who wants to have full access to the game just needs to buy a one dollar weapon. After that, they’re in for life. A low level of entry makes it easy for new players to get in. It’s how I did, and I have nearly 150 hours of gameplay on TF2. And compared to most people I’ve talked to, that’s unbelievably low.
Players are part of the content of a multiplayer game, so this has a double benefit. Not only does it give new players a way in, it gives older ones a reason to stay. A game losing players is a slippery slope, and people losing interest in a game quickly leads to the same happening to others. No one wants to play a dead game. A fresh stream of players was, without a doubt, a good thing for TF2’s lifespan.
Conclusion?
In reality TF2’s continued popularity cannot be attributed to one thing. In many ways it was the perfect storm, with everything happening at exactly the right time and place. Valve gave the brand name its stopping power and managed to introduce us to a perfect blend of unique gameplay and unique characters. This, mixed together with the overwhelming investment and reinvestment by fans, is something that is next to impossible to replicate intentionally.
No doubt something will come along one day and do what TF2 did. Overwatch does have the potential to endure the same way TF2 did, but we won’t know for sure for a long time. This kind of long lasting dedication is something that can only be seen in hindsight. What’s more, TF2’s story isn’t done yet. It could last for years to come, with even more elements coming into play to extend its lifespan. People who want to emulate its success can’t look away just yet. There’s more notes to take.