EDIT: All future TF2 content is actively on hold by Valve, they are now entirely neglecting the game (in contrast to Valve's other two major IPs) in favour of the VR title "Half-Life: Alyx" along with other projects. Sadly nothing has changed for the better, seemingly due to a lack of interest from Valve, in spite of TF2 remaining Valve's third most active and popular title, resulting in a huge shortage of Mannpower for the Team Fortress Team and as a result a lack of content/updates for the community. A great shame really, for Valve, but especially for the community. Despite not being in its best shape for years it is still remains a genuinely enjoyable experience, but by now the community is uncomfortably accustomed to TF2 being Valve's neglected, unappreciated, unwanted and ultimately abandoned child.

No longer the habitual time waster it was for me in the past, nevertheless it is still great to see it not fully abandoned by Valve. While one major update is no excuse for the lack in content both before and after the fact, the consistent patching is a breath of fresh air in an otherwise stagnant year. Not to mention that not all change is good change.

While many alterations have been beneficial, some threaten the very identity of the game itself. With criticism that Valve is assimilating TF2 into a CSGO clone, pressuring a competitive push onto the casual aspect of the game, killing pubs in favour of enforcing a restrictive and time consuming lobbying system, extorting its use in order to complete limiting and burdensome contracts, breaking old innate features such as joining servers friends are in, coaching, or even seemingly abandoning MvM.

Yes, TF2 is certainly not without its share of criticism or decisions that could be labelled strictly as backwards. It seems apparent that Valve are no longer the innovators they were once praised as. Regardless TF2 remains an unparalleled experience and continues to be both active and relevant, a credit mainly to its outstanding community.

EDIT: All future TF2 content is actively on hold by Valve, they are now entirely neglecting the game (in contrast to Valve's other two major IPs) in favour of the VR title "Half-Life: Alyx" along with other projects. Sadly nothing has changed for the better, seemingly due to a lack of interest from Valve, in spite of TF2 remaining Valve's third most active and popular title, resulting in a huge shortage of Mannpower for the Team Fortress Team and as a result a lack of content/updates for the community. A great shame really, for Valve, but especially for the community. Despite not being in its best shape for years it is still remains a genuinely enjoyable experience, but by now the community is uncomfortably accustomed to TF2 being Valve's neglected, unappreciated, unwanted and ultimately abandoned child. No longer the habitual time waster it was for me in the past, nevertheless it is still great to see it not fully abandoned by Valve. While one major update is no excuse for the lack in content both before and after the fact, the consistent patching is a breath of fresh air in an otherwise stagnant year. Not to mention that not all change is good change. While many alterations have been beneficial, some threaten the very identity of the game itself. With criticism that Valve is assimilating TF2 into a CSGO clone, pressuring a competitive push onto the casual aspect of the game, killing pubs in favour of enforcing a restrictive and time consuming lobbying system, extorting its use in order to complete limiting and burdensome contracts, breaking old innate features such as joining servers friends are in, coaching, or even seemingly abandoning MvM. Yes, TF2 is certainly not without its share of criticism or decisions that could be labelled strictly as backwards. It seems apparent that Valve are no longer the innovators they were once praised as. Regardless TF2 remains an unparalleled experience and continues to be both active and relevant, a credit mainly to its outstanding community.