HAT FORTRESS 2: AN INSIDE LOOK
By Ash Mahtani
The Team Fortress 2 of today is
The hats were purely cosmetic
not the same game it was when it
and had no impact on gameplay
was first released. For one thing,
whatsoever. Under normal
it’s now free to play. For another,
circumstances, the hats would
it’s filled to the brim with hats.
likely have been nothing
more than a simple way to
Countless internet forum posts
customize avatars. However,
made by confused players with
the implementation is what got
usernames unfit for publication
people interested. Hats would
beg the question “why do you
only become available from
care about hats?” The responses
random item drops so, to get
range from the hostile “why
them, you had to play the game.
don’t you care about hats” to the
Hats became a status symbol,
simplistic “because hats.”
a representation of seniority or
dedication to the game. Players
The first The Game Manual
were hooked.
reporter assigned to find real
answers is now in critical
Over time, more than 100 hats
condition due to injuries sustained
were added to the game in
while attempting to wear too
response to overwhelming player
many hats at once. Luckily, we
demand. Some were random
got the report.
drops, some were only available
by purchasing other games. The
2009. Two years after release,
developers even joked that the
Team Fortress 2 was still receiving
game had become “America’s #1
regular patches from Valve for
war-themed hat simulator.” It had
bug fixes and gameplay features,
made a fateful stop in hat country.
but on May 21st they introduced
Too weird to live, too rare to die.
something new: hats.
Hat Fortress 2.
LOOT GAMING / THE GAME MANUAL
13