What use are Steam Trading Cards?
Crafting a badge from a full set of cards gives
- The badge (which gives Steam XP, which in turn gives Steam Level and therefore friend list slots)
- A Steam Store coupon
- An emoticon
- A profile background
So, yes, there is quite some use to the cards. Whether or not it is worth it is an entirely different discussion.
I attempted to give a high level 3-question quiz about why you would care about Steam Trading Cards in this article:
- Are you excited about cosmetic customization elements in games? For instance, do you spend a long time getting your character’s face just right in Skyrim, or do you like picking out and wearing hats in Team Fortress 2?
- Do you find yourself comparing your Steam account to other people’s? For instance, do you look at their achievements or their profile and say “I am SO much better than them!”
- Do you think a few dollars is worth a minimal effort? If I told you that you could potentially make ~$5 today in Steam Store credit through Steam Trading Cards, would you be excited?
These correspond to the basic benefits of the cards:
- Cosmetic elements like badges, emoticons, and profile backgrounds
- Steam profile prestige, a few minor ancillary benefits (ie, friends list expansion)
- Perhaps a small chance of making a few easy bucks.
If those things are important, then you're likely to want to learn more about the trading cards, but if they aren't, you're probably safe ignoring them.