What are Steam trading cards and how do they work?

Steam trading cards are collectible virtual cards that can be earned by playing games on the Steam platform, developed by Valve Software. These cards serve as a form of in-game achievement and can be traded, bought, or sold with other players on the Steam Community Market. To obtain trading cards, players must play eligible games that support the trading card system. While playing, players earn "drops," which are random card rewards. Once a full set of cards is collected, they can be crafted into a badge, granting exclusive benefits like profile backgrounds, emoticons, and sometimes even in-game items. Additionally, players can acquire additional cards by purchasing them from the Steam Community Market or by trading with other users. The trading card system encourages community engagement, allows players to personalize their Steam profiles, and creates a market for collectors and traders within the Steam ecosystem.