Artifact (video game)

Artifact
Developer(s) Valve Corporation
Publisher(s) Valve Corporation
Director(s) Brandon Reinhart[1]
Designer(s) Richard Garfield
Programmer(s)
Writer(s) Steve Jaros
Engine Source 2
Platform(s)
Release
  • Windows, macOS, Linux
  • November 28, 2018
  • Android, iOS
  • 2019
Genre(s) Digital collectible card game
Mode(s) Multiplayer

Artifact is an upcoming digital collectible card game developed and published by Valve Corporation. The game focuses on online player versus player battles across three boards, called lanes, and is based upon the universe of Dota 2, a multiplayer online battle arena game also developed by Valve. Artifact allows for the purchasing, selling, and trading of cards on the Steam Marketplace, and was designed by Magic: The Gathering creator Richard Garfield. Artifact will be released for Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux in November 2018, and for Android and iOS devices the following year.

Gameplay

Artifact has players competing in three separate boards in sequential order, mimicking the three lanes of Dota 2's map.

As a digital collectible card game (DCCG), the gameplay of Artifact is to build a deck of collectable cards, obtained via purchasing or trading with other players on the Steam Marketplace, in order to defeat an opponent in a 1v1 situation.[4] Artifact is heavily based upon and features many elements from the multiplayer online battle arena game Dota 2, which Valve also developed.[5] As such, the game differs from most other traditional collectible card games, as it features three "lanes" guarded by a tower at the end, with each lane existing as its own independent board. The victor is the first person to either destroy a structure called the "Ancient", which appears after a tower has been destroyed, or the first to destroy two towers in total.[6][7]

Each deck contains 40 cards and includes five heroes, with nearly 300 total cards being available at launch.[7] Cards are grouped into three rarity tiers, common, uncommon, and rare, and are further grouped into four color themes, red, green, black, and blue, that each have their own unique effects on the board.[8][7] Each lane also has its own independent mana pool, which is used for casting hero abilities and regenerates by one point after each round.[7] In addition to hero abilities, item cards can also be freely placed and used in any lane. Each time a card is played, the initiative passes to the opposing player. After all cards have been played in a lane, heroes and "creeps", which are weak, but numerous mobs that can not be directly controlled and respawn every round, begin attacking whatever is opposite them, including the opposing tower if there are no units left.[7] This repeats until all three lanes have been played, after which it goes to the "Shopping Phase", where gold accumulated during battles is spent on buying items and upgrading hero equipment in three different slots for weapons, armor, and accessories.[7]

As with Dota 2, the game will focus on online player versus player matchmaking and will not have a single-player component, although a tutorial against an AI-controlled bot is used for teaching new players how to play.[9]

Development

Development of Artifact began in late 2014, with lead designer Richard Garfield being brought in to help make a digital card game due to his experience with creating the popular Magic: The Gathering franchise.[10][11][7] The game was then announced via a teaser trailer played at The International 2017, a large Dota 2-specific eSports tournament organized by Valve Corporation, although no specific details were revealed.[5] More details regarding its concept and gameplay were revealed by Valve co-founder Gabe Newell during a meeting with gaming press at Valve's headquarters in March 2018.[9] There, Newell stated that it was not originally intended to be based on Dota 2, but it was decided to do so later in development as it was "useful".[12] Newell also stated that it would not be free-to-play like Dota 2 and other similar card game competitors, also stating that he and the team wished for it to avoid becoming "pay-to-win". He further stated that he hoped Artifact would be for card games what Half-Life 2 was for single-player action games.[7][13]

Artifact was created using Valve's in-house Source 2 game engine, and features direct integration with the Steam Marketplace for buying, selling, and trading cards.[8][14] While acknowledging that card games and Steam Marketplace item transactions can both be expensive, such as with gun cosmetics in Valve's own Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Garfield notes that printing restrictions do not exist with digital cards, and that Valve would directly control the production of them to limit extreme rarity.[8] In addition, purchased card packs will always include a rare card in them, which Valve hopes will control the price of single cards being sold for high prices as it would be more valuable to purchase multiple card packs.[8] Wanting to build upon what they have learned from Dota 2, Global Offensive, and Team Fortress 2, Valve plan for the game to have a professional eSports scene, with revenue made from card pack purchasing feeding into tournament prize pools, similar to Dota 2's "Compendium" crowdfunding system.[13][15] To start, Valve plan for a million dollar tournament to take place sometime in 2019.[15]

Artifact will be developed alongside updates for Dota 2, introducing new heroes and other content for both games. Steve Jaros wrote character lore for Dota 2 and continued that role with Artifact by having each individual card provide more lore, which he hopes will keep both games narratively connected. Programmer Jeep Barnett said they plan to have card set expansions progress over time, so that heroes in one set may have an aged version in a future set, or may die in one, and events of previous expansions will influence future ones.[11][16]

Release

Artifact entered closed beta in early 2018, with numerous gaming industry members and professional card game players invited to test it.[9] It was publicly playable for the first time at PAX West 2018, with a tournament for it being hosted and all attendees receiving signed artwork prints and product keys for two free copies of the game.[17] It will be released for Microsoft Windows, macOS and Linux on November 28, 2018, and for Android and iOS devices in 2019.[18][19] A beta for the PC version will be released in October, with attendees of The International 2018 Dota 2 tournament and its showing at PAX West being given them.[20]

Reception

Artifact saw mixed reception following its announcement at The International 2017, with the crowd attending the tournament largely booing following its reveal.[21][22] The trailer, uploaded to the video sharing platform YouTube, soon featured a high dislike-to-like ratio with commenters expressing their disappointment with Valve assumingly abandoning their other franchises, such as Half-Life, in favor of recent gaming trends.[21][23][24][25]

However, critics were more positive, with Ali Jones of PCGamesN stating in a preview that the game was a "cut above" other card games he had played before, and that it successfully captured elements from two different genres, creating something that he was "hugely excited to return to".[26] The game has also been compared with Blizzard Entertainment's Hearthstone, with Mike Minotti of Venture Beat considering Artifact as the more complex, in-depth option that has a chance of become the leading digital card game on the market.[27] While also noting the game's complexity, Julian Benson of PCGamesN compared it more to Magic: The Gathering as its creator, Richard Garfield, served as the lead designer on the game.[28] Tim Clark of PC Gamer praised the game's art style and presentation, noting that all of the game's assets were new and not directly copied over from Dota 2. Clark also stated that he could not wait to play more of the game, saying that he did not see it as a "cash grab" that others said it would be.[7] James Davenport of the same publication thought that the gameplay was akin to Magic: The Gathering meeting three simultaneous games of Uno, and stated that while the game at first looked "extremely complex", it did not take him long to understand and begin playing.[29]

References

  1. ↑ Machkovech, Sam. "Exclusive: Valve walks us through Artifact's new demo, leaves us wanting more". Ars Technica. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  2. ↑ Lawle, Richard. "Valve reveals 'Artifact,' the official 'Dota' card game". Engadget. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Wood, Austin. "Artifact feels like Valve's solution to post-Hearthstone card games". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  4. ↑ Marks, Tom. "Artifact: Everything We Know About Valve's Next Game". IGN. Archived from the original on March 9, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  5. 1 2 Gies, Arthur (August 8, 2017). "Valve announces Artifact, a Dota 2 card game". Polygon. Archived from the original on August 9, 2017. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  6. ↑ Bailey, Dustin. "Artifact has 280 cards and three lanes of play". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on March 9, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Clark, Tim. "Everything you need to know about Valve's Artifact: "The whole point is to steer away from pay-to-win"". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on March 14, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Marks, Tom. "How Valve Won't Let Artifact's Marketplace Get Crazy Expensive". IGN. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  9. 1 2 3 Stewart, Sam (March 8, 2018). "Valve Releases First Details About Artifact". IGN. Archived from the original on March 9, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Exclusive Artifact Interview, Unused Content & Card Reveal". YouTube (Video). Valve News Network. Retrieved September 24, 2018.
  11. 1 2 "We interview Artifact's lead designer, Richard Garfield (AKA the creator of Magic: The Gathering)". YouTube (Video). Eurogamer. Archived from the original on May 2, 2018. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  12. ↑ Scott-Jones, Richard. "Artifact will add to Dota 2's lore and hero roster". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on March 9, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  13. 1 2 Bailey, Dustin. "Artifact won't be free-to-play or pay-to-win". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on March 9, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  14. ↑ Bailey, Dustin. "Artifact will use Source 2, bringing the engine to iOS and Android". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on March 9, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  15. 1 2 Scott-Jones, Richard. "Artifact on track for 2018 release, will have a $1m tournament early next year". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on March 10, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  16. ↑ Jones, Ali (May 4, 2018). "Artifact heroes can age and die between card expansions". PCGamesN. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  17. ↑ Fogel, Stefanie. "Valve's 'Artifact' Will Be Playable at PAX West". Variety. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
  18. ↑ Cryer, Hirun. "Artifact, Valve's Card Game - Release Date, Gameplay, Dota 2 Cards - Everything we Know". USGamer. Archived from the original on March 10, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  19. ↑ Chalk, Andy. "Artifact, Valve's fantasy card game, will be out in November". PC Gamer. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  20. ↑ Bailey, Dustin. "Artifact beta launches in October". PCGamesN. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  21. 1 2 Savov, Vlad. "Valve is getting into card games and people are mad". The Verge. Archived from the original on March 9, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  22. ↑ Workman, Robert. "This Reaction To Valve's New Game Is Just About Perfect". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on March 9, 2018.
  23. ↑ Jackson, Gita. "The Internet Reacts To Valve's New Game Announcement". Kotaku. Archived from the original on March 9, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  24. ↑ Gilbert, Ben. "One of the biggest game companies in the world announced a new game, and fans had a hilarious reaction". Business Insider. Archived from the original on March 10, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  25. ↑ Grubb, Jeff. "Enjoy the salty tears of Dota 2 fans upset about Valve's Artifact card game". Venture Beat. Archived from the original on February 23, 2018. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  26. ↑ Jones, Ali. "Artifact isn't late to the CCG party, it's about to revolutionise card games". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on March 10, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  27. ↑ Minotti, Mike. "Artifact hands-on: Valve's Dota 2-based card game sure isn't Hearthstone". Venture Beat. Archived from the original on March 14, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  28. ↑ Benson, Julian. "Gabe Newell: "Hearthstone's the benchmark online card game"". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on March 14, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  29. ↑ Davenport, James. "Artifact is not nearly as hard to play as it looks". PC Gamer. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
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