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Steam Trading Cards opens beta!

TL:DR

Join this Steamgroup to get receive an beta invite. Invites are send in the order of members joined.

http://steamcommunity.com/groups/tradingcards

Steam Trading Cards are virtual cards earned by playing games on Steam that can be combined into game badges.

Collect cards
Play any of the participating Trading Cards Beta games to get trading cards. Up to half the card set is dropped through game play, the other half is earned through your collecting prowess.

What is a badge?
A badge is an icon on your profile (and tied to your account) that represents the trading card sets you've collected or your participation in an event.

Craft game badges
Once you've collected a set of cards you can craft them into a game badge. Like the current badges, they are tied to your account and are shown on your profile. Unlike the current badges, crafting games badges earns you tradable items like emoticons, profile backgrounds, and coupons. Level up your badge by collecting the set again and earning more items.

Level up
All badges now have XP which contributes to your Steam Level, a summary of your badge collection. You can view someone's Steam Level by hovering over their avatar. Leveling up earns you non-tradable items like profile showcases, extra friends list slots, and more.

What do I get when I craft a badge from my Trading Cards?
In addition to getting the Game Badge itself, you'll get:

a random emoticon item created for the game you can use in chat or discussions;
a random profile background item created for the game that can use on your Steam Community profile
a chance to get a discount coupon for a different game or DLC
100XP, which may increase your Steam Level

If your Steam Level increases, you'll get the limit on the size of your friends list increased by five, and potentially unlock the ability to customize your profile with showcases.

Which games drop trading cards?
The following games are currently part of the Steam Trading Cards Beta.

• CS:GO
  
• Team Fortress 2
  
• Dota 2
  
• Portal 2
  
• Half-Life 2
  
• Don't Starve

For a preview and more information go here.

http://steamcommunity.com/tradingcards