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Valve's Dota themed card game Artifact has now well and truly failed, as they've now stopped the 2.0 redevelopment which is now named Artifact Foundry with the original as Artifact Classic and both now free to play.

In a post titled "The Future of Artifact", Valve mentioned how the player count fell off dramatically and it was pretty much dead shortly after being released. Even though the big 2.0 revamp was far along in development, they've now formally and totally shelved it as they "haven't managed to get the active player numbers to a level that justifies further development at this time".

Neither game has micro-transactions, they're both properly free now. However, previous purchases entitle players to Collectors Edition cards. These special cards can be bought and sold on the Steam Market, players who purchased it originally will also be able to earn these cards by playing, free players joining now will not.

There are some major differences between them like how you play across the board. The original, now Artifact Classic you would play each lane across the game in a sequence of turns, but Artifact Foundry has a more simplified take on it where you have the whole board and play in any lane at a time. Each version also has different game modes available.

For a full run-down of the differences between Artifact Classic and Artifact Foundry, see this post.

Both versions are now on the combined Steam store page.

Personally, I am sad to see this. Artifact had fun and engaging gameplay, along with great visuals but it was the monetization model that ultimately killed it. The idea that you had to pay for it, then pay more to play more of it across some of the modes was not good. Perhaps in time now it's free, it might see a reasonable rise in the player count. For now though, Valve has no further plans to update either version.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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tonR Mar 13, 2021
My old comment from 2019.

QuoteLets be honest, online-focused trading card games (TCG) need to be F2P. Better I buy and play the physically real trading card for example, Pokemon TCG which will become collectable item/future classic in the future, can trade freely and etc., rather than buy a virtual TCG with some/many restriction cause it's a virtual game card. (LINK)
TLDR, Artifact should never exists. Period!

And if any Valve employees or Gaben read this comments, please:

LINUX GAMERS NEED GREAT SIM RACING! EVEN VR-ONLY ALSO WE WILL ACCEPT IT

Seriously. With first-party sim racing IP, Valve will make huge fortune selling DLC or microtransaction in form or cars or tracks or even both.

It is never ever too late to make it, Valve.
Arten Mar 13, 2021
Quoting: tonRMy old comment from 2019.

QuoteLets be honest, online-focused trading card games (TCG) need to be F2P. Better I buy and play the physically real trading card for example, Pokemon TCG which will become collectable item/future classic in the future, can trade freely and etc., rather than buy a virtual TCG with some/many restriction cause it's a virtual game card. (LINK)
TLDR, Artifact should never exists. Period!

And if any Valve employees or Gaben read this comments, please:

LINUX GAMERS NEED GREAT SIM RACING! EVEN VR-ONLY ALSO WE WILL ACCEPT IT

Seriously. With first-party sim racing IP, Valve will make huge fortune selling DLC or microtransaction in form or cars or tracks or even both.

It is never ever too late to make it, Valve.

If they do it, they do it with source 2 engine. Has source 2 engine capabilities for sim racing games?
tonR May 1, 2021
Quoting: ArtenIf they do it, they do it with source 2 engine. Has source 2 engine capabilities for sim racing games?
Sorry for the late reply.

Yes Source 2 might not be suitable for Sim racing. But, it doesn't mean Valve workforce only know how-to on one engine only. Campo Santo made their games on Unity. Valve itself do making VR demo games (The Lab excl. Robot Repair) in Unity. Valve proved they can and willingly use other product/ecosystem if needed.

Also, Gabe Newell himself is a team owner of professional racing team named "The Heart of Racing"! He knows the business in motorsport. So, it is shame if Valve not capitalized their own Chief knowledge and expertise to make one hell, real and best Sim racing on market.
Arten May 1, 2021
Quoting: tonR
Quoting: ArtenIf they do it, they do it with source 2 engine. Has source 2 engine capabilities for sim racing games?
Sorry for the late reply.

Yes Source 2 might not be suitable for Sim racing. But, it doesn't mean Valve workforce only know how-to on one engine only. Campo Santo made their games on Unity. Valve itself do making VR demo games (The Lab excl. Robot Repair) in Unity. Valve proved they can and willingly use other product/ecosystem if needed.

Also, Gabe Newell himself is a team owner of professional racing team named "The Heart of Racing"! He knows the business in motorsport. So, it is shame if Valve not capitalized their own Chief knowledge and expertise to make one hell, real and best Sim racing on market.

The Lab is developed in time before they did Source 2 VR capable and it is probably mostly discovering possibilities of VR began with Alyx.
Second thing is, The Lab did not have linux build, i think its mostly because to work on other company engine...
tonR May 2, 2021
Quoting: ArtenThe Lab is developed in time before they did Source 2 VR capable and it is probably mostly discovering possibilities of VR began with Alyx.
Second thing is, The Lab did not have linux build, i think its mostly because to work on other company engine...
Agree on both opinions. Which means (on my point), Valve is capable to develops a game on non-Valve engines if the Source 2 not suitable or not capable.

Back on to the topic. Artifact is a failure, period! So, how about Valve try on something else, out of box?

If Valve, with millions of users making a great sim racing, it will their another golden duck (after DOTA and CSGO). Almost every platform (regardless console or "PC game launcher") do have their own Sim racing game as their signature game on their respectively platform. For example:

Microsoft Xbox - Forza
Sony Playstation - Grand Turismo
Nintendo - Super Mario Kart
EA Origin - Need For Speed / Burnout / (probably all Codemaster games)
Ubisoft Connect (Uplay) - The Crew

Still, at the end of the day. It's Valve decision on what they wanted to do. I really hope Valve really considered this suggestion instead of making another bad decision with outcome of another terrible results.

Just a one man opinion.
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