TL:DR - go read the last paragraph.
I come from another game - A very old game. TF2 has reached the end of its long life, for me. - (Not for the try-hards of upper comp: it's still kinda alive for them - minus configs or the ability to optimize the game's running speed or the ability to change weapon view models to not cover 1/3 of the screen...) - I speak for the casual, worthless player. (Even if I do alright in lobbies. Not the point.)
When casual mode has levels in a game that's been successful for over ten years, it's a bad sign for the everyday player who just wants to unwind after a day of work.
TF2 has, as of this post, removed ALL public games (with the drop-in and drop-out feature) and valve servers not related to competitive. Valve has implemented a 'casual' version of competitive with massive wait times as they 'attempt to pair you' - which may or may not work, based on the stress their servers are under. Upon finding a game, if you have the patience to wait an hour, there is no way to kick hackers due to vote-kicking being disabled. If there is a team imbalance such as a 12 vs 4, there's no auto-balance.
(Also, demo-knight got nerfed.)
The real point of this post is to show what happens when a game pushes competitive SUPER hard to the point of alienating their major player base. Valve wanted tf2 to suddenly be as 'competitive' as Overwatch. (Given that Overwatch is a disorganized mess at times, given player latency and projectiles.... sure. call it competitive.)
While community-run servers are still up, it doesn't replace a pub experience. Unlike Dirty Bomb, custom servers in tf2 can have any number of mods or maps - be it Pony maps or just trade servers. Without a way to play the game (minus a massive wait time,) many players feel lost. - Sure you could go to Valve's 'casual' mode which has statistics to discourage fun and encourage try-harding in pubs - eliminating all personality from the players who once conga'd, spycrab'd, and did stupid stuff. Maybe it wasn't productive, but it was fun.
All in all, SD, please don't become Valve. Let your game gain players due to how fun the game play is - not how competitive it wants to be. I play Dirty Bomb for the fun of a pub setting. Rhino rush can work. Even proxy rush can work. When some people don't push the objective, or there's not coordination, it doesn't make the game less fun to play, for me. (I'm aware, there are level 80 players with thousands of hours who may disagree. go to comp, you guys.) I'm sure some of you down there below this post will disagree with me about playing a game for stupid fun instead of hard competition.
Feel free to explain why I’m wrong, down below.
A moment of silence for my 1234-ish hours of tf2.
(Unless valve fixes this.
The key to happiness is low expectations.
It’s nice to be surprised.
It sucks to be disappointed.) - Quote by not-me.
~ I’ll see ya back here in 2 weeks, where I can reiterate my statement.