Bellevue-based video game maker Valve Corporation has made its popular shooter game Team Fortress 2 permanently free-to-play.

The company said it aims to attract as many online customers as possible and has, reportedly, experimented with the price factor for months before finally coming to a decision. The price had previously dropped to as low as $2.49 at some points.

Valve’s Robin Walker said, the company has been toying with the idea of making Team Fortress 2 free-to-play ever since the Mann-conomy update was introduced in September 2010.

The game, although free, will have monetization in the form of micro-transactions.

Walker said Valve has no plans to apply a premium subscription model or a “pay-to-win” option to the game, and although the company has introduced micro-transactions, the free in-game items will continue to be available, Gamepro reported.

Team Fortress 2: Uber Update:

The game recently received the Uber Update which has introduced a new medic to the game. The medic will provide three options, the Quick-Fix, the Overdose, and the Solemn Vow.

The Quick-Fix will heal your partners 40 percent faster and will charge Ubercharge 25 percent than the stock medigun. It will also protect your allies from slowing down by weapons that have movement-impairing effects. The Overdose is an advanced syringe gun that will boost movement speed depending on the Ubercharge stored. The Solemn Vow will let the medic see the health of enemy players.

Software Update Uber Free