Because E-sports is now big business, almost everyone who has a game thats team based seems to be announcing a competitive league. Valve at least are no strangers to a solid comptitive league having previously run The International for DoTA2. So it comes really as no surprise, at least to me, that Valves long running (now) free to play team based co-op shooter Team Fortress 2 is getting a Competitive league.
TF2 is a game famous for its silly hats, unique weapons, and seemingly endless support life. The game went free to play(FTP) in 2011, and since has taken on a new life far beyond what anyone would have imagined. With dozen of patches and events since going free to play, TF2 has been a staple of the FTP community for years. Now it seems that folks who have been begging for a competitive ranked, steam curated mode, have been answered. In a post on reddit /u/vjill points users to a competitive beta inside steams social features.
There were rumors this was happening when in a visit to Valve HQ by community at teamfortress.tv in April of 2014 matchmaking was at least briefly discussed. At the time Valve seemed to be on board, but there was no official word of any pending changes. Now we have the official word, competitive matchmaking is coming to TF2.
Inside the steam group Valve says “[Valve will] be using this group to send out announcements related to the competitive beta as well as seed beta invites for the expansion of the closed beta” This is no doubt exciting for the robust, lively community in TF2, whom despite the game being well past the age of most relevant shooters, still keep its servers populated. Hopefully a ranking system brings in new more competitive blood, and leads to more and better tournaments curated by Valve. Who knows perhaps someday we will see an international TF2 comptition backed by Valve and funded by the players, just like the current International for DOTA2 is.