Steam Emoticons & Backgrounds Guide
Table of Contents
Every badge you craft on Steam rewards you with random emoticons and profile backgrounds from that game. These collectible items can be used to customize your profile, sold on the marketplace, or converted to gems. Understanding how these rewards work helps you decide which badges to craft and how to build a valuable collection.
How Badge Rewards Work
When you craft a badge, Steam randomly rewards you with items from that game's pool of emoticons and backgrounds.
Badge Crafting Reward Structure:
Regular Badge (100 XP):
Guaranteed: 1 random emoticon from the game
Random Chance: 1 random profile background (approximately 30-40% chance)
Random Chance: 1 random profile item (rare, ~5-10% chance)
Note: Background drops are NOT guaranteed. You might craft 3 badges and get 0 backgrounds.
Foil Badge (100 XP):
Guaranteed: 1 random emoticon (same pool as regular badge)
Better Chance: Higher probability of background drop (~50-60%)
Bonus: Foil badge looks more impressive on profile
Badge Levels (Crafting 5x):
Each game's badge can be crafted 5 times (Levels 1-5). Each craft gives new random rewards from the same pool. Duplicates are common - might get same emoticon multiple times. Crafting all 5 levels doesn't guarantee complete collection.
Typical Game Collections:
Most games have:
6-15 emoticons in their collection
10-20 profile backgrounds (including animated ones)
Animated backgrounds are rarer and more valuable
Special items: Some games have profile frames, mini-profile backgrounds
To collect every item from one game, you'd need to craft 20-40+ badges (due to duplicates).
Steam Emoticons Explained
Emoticons are small icons you can use in Steam chat, comments, and discussions. They're similar to emoji but specific to Steam games and themes.
How to Use Emoticons:
In Steam Chat: Click the emoticon button → Select from collection → Appears in message
In Comments/Forums: Type the emoticon code manually (e.g., :steamhappy:)
Finding Codes: Inventory → Emoticons tab → Hover over emoticon to see code name
Emoticon Value & Market:
Common Emoticons ($0.03-0.10):
From popular, frequently-crafted badges. Abundant supply keeps prices low. Usually convert to 10-40 gems.
Rare Emoticons ($0.15-0.50):
From less popular games or event badges. Limited supply makes them moderately valuable.
Event/Limited Emoticons ($1-10+):
From special events like Winter/Summer Sales, Steam Awards. Can't be obtained after event ends. Increase in value over time.
Delisted Game Emoticons ($0.50-5+):
From games removed from Steam. No new badges can be crafted, so supply is fixed. Prices increase as existing copies are converted to gems.
Emoticon Strategy:
Common duplicates: Convert to gems (better than $0.03 market sale)
Rare/Event emoticons: Keep or sell on market - value may increase
Personal favorites: Keep emoticons from games you love for chat use
Complete sets: Collecting all emoticons from one game makes a nice display
Profile Backgrounds Deep Dive
Profile backgrounds are large images that cover your entire Steam profile page. They're the most visible and valuable badge rewards.
Types of Backgrounds:
Static Backgrounds:
Standard, non-moving images. Most common type.
Market Value:
Common games: $0.03-0.10
Popular/Pretty: $0.15-0.50
Limited/Event: $0.50-2.00
Rare/Delisted: $1-10+
Animated Backgrounds:
Moving/animated images with subtle motion effects. Much rarer than static backgrounds.
Market Value:
Common animated: $0.50-2.00
Popular animated: $2-8
Event animated: $5-20
Rare animated: $10-50+
Animated backgrounds are 5-15x more expensive than static ones from the same game.
Mini Profile Backgrounds:
Smaller backgrounds for your mini profile (the popup when hovering over your name). Separate from main profile background. Generally cheaper ($0.05-0.30 typically). Less visible so less demand.
**What Makes a Background Valuable?** - Visual Appeal: Beautiful artwork, vibrant colors, popular characters - Animation: Automatically worth 5-10x more, motion catches attention - Scarcity: Limited event backgrounds, delisted games, or games where few badges are crafted - Game Popularity: Backgrounds from beloved games sell for more than unknown games - Oversupply: Backgrounds from frequently-crafted cheap badges have massive supply, keeping prices at minimum
Collecting Strategies
Different collecting goals require different strategies.
Complete Game Sets:
Goal: Collect every emoticon and background from your favorite game(s).
Strategy: Craft badges for that game until you get all drops (might take 15-40 crafts). Buy missing items on market (usually cheaper than crafting 20+ badges). Track collection in inventory. Display complete collections using inventory showcases.
Themed Collections:
Goal: Build collection around a theme (fantasy, sci-fi, horror, anime style).
Strategy: Browse market for backgrounds matching your theme. Sort by art style rather than game. Animated backgrounds make thematic profiles more impressive. Match background with complementary profile artwork.
Investment Collecting:
Goal: Buy undervalued items that will increase in value over time.
Strategy: Target event badges during the event (prices lowest). Buy animated backgrounds from unpopular games ($0.50-1.00 now, might be $3-5 in 2 years). Watch for games getting delisted. Hold items for 1-3 years before selling.
Budget Collecting:
Goal: Build large collection without spending much money.
Strategy: Keep all drops from badge crafting (free). Buy $0.03-0.05 items on market during sales. Trade duplicate emoticons/backgrounds with other collectors. Focus on quantity over quality.
Getting Specific Items You Want
Found a background or emoticon you want? Here are the most efficient ways to get it.
Acquisition Methods (Ranked by Efficiency):
1. Buy on Steam Market (Fastest):
Search for the exact item on market and buy it directly. Costs $0.03-10+ depending on rarity.
Best For: Specific items you want immediately, items under $5
2. Trade with Other Users (Cheaper):
Find users who have the item and trade your duplicates for it. Saves money but takes time.
Best For: High-value items ($5+), when you have valuable items to trade
3. Craft Badges and Hope (Gambling):
Craft badges for that game repeatedly and hope for the drop. Very inefficient for specific items.
Best For: When you want multiple items from the same game, or if the item is very expensive on market
4. Wait for Event/Booster Drops (Free but Slow):
If you own the game, wait for booster pack drops and hope to get the item. Could take months or never happen.
Best For: Patient collectors, common items not worth buying
Cost-Benefit Analysis Example:
Scenario: You want a specific animated background worth $5 on market
Option A: Buy on market = $5, instant
Option B: Craft badges until drop = 15-30 badges × $0.40 each = $6-12, takes hours
Option C: Trade = Free if you have valuable duplicates, takes days to find trader
Conclusion: For items under $10, buying on market is usually most efficient.
Common Questions
**Can I preview what a background looks like on my profile?** Not officially, but you can view the full-size image by clicking on it in the market or inventory. Third-party sites like SteamDB show profile previews for some backgrounds.
**Do I lose backgrounds if I stop using them?** No, backgrounds stay in your inventory permanently. You can change backgrounds anytime and previously used backgrounds remain available.
**Should I sell or keep event backgrounds?** Keep event backgrounds from Winter/Summer Sales. They can't be obtained after the event ends and typically increase 50-300% in value over 1-2 years. Common backgrounds ($0.03) are fine to sell immediately.
**Why are some emoticons/backgrounds from the same game worth different amounts?** Visual appeal matters. Within the same game, backgrounds with better artwork or fan-favorite characters sell for 2-10x more than less appealing ones. Animated versions are always worth more than static ones.
Conclusion
Steam emoticons and profile backgrounds add personality and visual appeal to your profile while providing economic value through the Steam Market. Whether you're collecting for personal enjoyment, building themed displays, or investing in appreciating items, understanding the reward system helps you maximize value from every badge you craft.
Remember: backgrounds from badge crafting are random, animated backgrounds are significantly more valuable, event items appreciate over time, and complete game collections take significant investment. Choose a collecting strategy that matches your goals and budget.
Start building your collection by crafting badges with our [Badge Calculator](/calculator/badge)!