Steam to enable trading of items and gifted games?

PigLick on 12/8/2011 at 07:56

Saw this news article on (http://au.gamespot.com/news/6328250/steam-introduces-trading?tag=newstop%3Bstory%3B15) Gamespot. Basically you will be able to trade in-game items and unopened games to other steam users. Interesting concept, and I could see it working, for example I was gifted the THQ pack during the steam sales, and there are at least 5 or so games that I will never install, I wouldnt even mind trading them for some TF2 hats ;)
What do you guys think?

Briareos H on 12/8/2011 at 08:21

Why TF2 hats? Why not trade them for other games?
Anyway that's an interesting idea, but you cannot found an economy without a marketplace...

Matthew on 12/8/2011 at 08:31

I dunno really, the sources that I've seen are suggesting that it's only gifted games or extra copies from offers that you'll be able to trade, at least at first.

PigLick on 12/8/2011 at 09:09

yeh probly testing the water, as it were. Still, good to see them trying something different.

EvaUnit02 on 12/8/2011 at 10:19

Quote Posted by PigLick

for example I was gifted the THQ pack during the steam sales, and there are at least 5 or so games that I will never install, I wouldnt even mind trading them for some TF2 hats ;)
What do you guys think?

Games which are already tied to your account are exempt, only unredeemed gift copies. I.e. ones which you can send, not ones which you've received.

Quote:

Does Steam Trading mean I can sell my used games?

(https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=6748-ETSG-5417) FAQ

No, only games that have been bought as a gift, and thus have never been played, can be traded. Once the Steam Gift is opened and added to your game library, you won’t be able to trade it again.

PigLick on 12/8/2011 at 14:46

hmm, well that limits it a bit then

Koki on 12/8/2011 at 15:50

So it's worthless yaaay

Yakoob on 12/8/2011 at 17:22

It's not worthless; now you can trade in / refund that unopened Daikatana gramma gifted you on steam for christmas all those years ago. Just like in the good old days :cool:

I wonder how it works with buying packs containing games you already own? Like, the reason I did not buy the hella cheap ID pack a little while ago was because I already own like half of those games. If I still got that pack, could I just trade the games I already own and effectively re-baughT?

Phatose on 12/8/2011 at 17:33

Depends on the pack. If extra copies will be giftable, they say so in the pack description. If it doesn't explicitly say extras are giftable, they'll just disappear.

It's certainly got it's uses. Aside from the obvious TF2 link in, it's not uncommon for Steam pre-orders to come with giftable extras. WH40k Space Marine had a giftable copy of Darksiders, I think the DX:HR special addition comes with a giftable copy of DX1, and Frozen Synapse came with a 2nd giftable copy.

That said, it is almost certainly directly mostly at the TF2 'economy'. Trading hats for games is part of it, but it also handles up to 256 items in a single transaction versus 8 in game.

Zerker on 12/8/2011 at 22:58

I'm still waiting for some way to "unown" Penny Arcade Adventures Ep 1... it is apparently tied to my account for all eternity.