With last year’s Half-Life: Alyx, Valve well and truly got back into the spotlight after a long hiatus as far as AAA development is concerned, but that wasn’t technically their comeback game. The card game Artifact launched for PC in November 2018, but almost immediately, it was met with widely negative reception, which translated in a consistently low playerbase.

Not long after its launch, Valve began the process of reworking Artifact in order to address its biggest issues, with Artifact 2.0 even going into beta soon. It seems, however, that neither of the game’s two versions have managed to get the kind of traction that Valve was hoping for. In a recently published update, Valve confirmed that it’s now ending development on the game, and that both versions will now be made free-to-play.

“Despite good initial sales, our player count fell off pretty dramatically,” the update reads. “This warranted a shift from the service/update development model we’d planned to a full reevaluation of the game’s mechanics and economy.

“It’s now been about a year and a half since the current Artifact team began work on a reboot in earnest. While we’re reasonably satisfied we accomplished most of our game-side goals, we haven’t managed to get the active player numbers to a level that justifies further development at this time. As such, we’ve made the tough decision to stop development on the Artifact 2.0 Beta.”

Below are the changes being made to both Artifact Classic and Artifact Foundry.

Artifact Classic:

• The game is free for everyone to play.
• All players get every card for free. You will no longer be able to buy card packs.
• Paid players’ existing cards have been converted into special Collector’s Edition versions, which will remain marketable. Marketplace integration has been removed from the game.
• Paid event tickets have been removed.
• Customers who paid for the game will still earn packs of Collector’s Edition cards for playing; players who got the game for free will not.

Artifact Foundry:

• The game is free for everyone to play.
• Players gain access to cards by playing the game. All cards are earned this way; no cards or packs will be for sale and Artifact Foundry cards are not marketable.
• All final card art that was in the pipeline is now in the game.

Valve has suggested that it’s going to continue making more Half-Life games, at the very least, so fans can rest assured that the Artifact debacle probably won’t be repeated- hopefully.

BioWare – Anthem

Say what you will about Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age: Inquisition and even Mass Effect Andromeda – on some level, all of those games had something going for them. Not so in the case of Anthem, which released in a horrible state and probably has the worst post-launch support of any games-as-a-service title yet. It’s not the terrible loot drops, boring combat, lack of customization, barren end-game or plentiful glitches that gets us – it’s that BioWare, famous for some of the best RPGs ever made, couldn’t even string together a decent story to tell.

Valve has focused on their PC storefront and launcher for such a long time, you would have thought that the first game they’ve been directly involved with for many years would have been a slam dunk, or at the very least, gotten a lot of attention. Unfortunately, with the launch of the digital card game based on DOTA 2, Artifact, the opposite proved true. Earlier this year, it seemed the game was in pretty bad shape, and there’s been no signs to point to a resurgence since then. The lead designer on the game hasn’t given up hope just yet, however.

Speaking with Eurogamer, Lead Designer of the game, Richard Garflied (who also created Magic: The Gathering), said that he didn’t think all hope was lost just yet. He didn’t give any details on what he personally thought could be done, but does think there was enough underlying value in the system that it can be salvaged.

“Personally, I’m interested in designing new games or expanding old games,” he said. “I don’t want to be involved in damage control and figuring out how to find an audience for this game.

“I think the underlying game is excellent and original. It gives the player something new. So in that sense, since there’s something there to offer the player, I think it’s possible to save it. Since Valve is a smart company with lots of smart people working there, I think that it’s possible they can do that.”

Valve has said they’re focusing on larger issues with the core game as opposed to doing smaller updates, so it’s possible they are looking at doing some kind of relaunch in the future. It’s not unheard for fledgling games to get a big revitalized reboot of sorts, but Valve has a ways to go by the looks of. Either way, Artifact is still available now for PC.

If you’ve been following the launch of Valve’s Artifact since November 2018, you’ll have noticed a very rapid drop off in player base. In January 2019 the CCG was reported to have had only 1700 players, a number which has dropped further since. Considering this is Valve, a company known for current successes like Counter-Strike: GO and Dota 2, it’s hardly an ideal situation.

Valve’s Jeep Barnett sought to address the current state of the game and confirmed that the development team would be focusing on fixing the larger issues. “When we launched Artifact, we expected it would be the beginning of a long journey, that it would lay the foundation for years to come,” said Barnett. “Our plan was to immediately dive into our normal strategy of shipping a series of updates driven by the dialogue community members were having with each other and with us

“Obviously, things didn’t turn out how we hoped. Artifact represents the largest discrepancy between our expectations for how one of our games would be received and the actual outcome. But we don’t think that players misunderstand our game, or that they’re playing it wrong. Artifact now represents an opportunity for us to improve our craft and use that knowledge to build better games.”

So instead of adding new features and cards, Valve will be taking a step back and looking at Artifact as a whole. This includes “game design, the economy, the social experience of playing, and more.” Unfortunately, as Barnett noted, changing things will take some time.

“Moving forward, we’ll be heads-down focusing on addressing these larger issues instead of shipping updates,” he continued. “While we expect this process of experimentation and development to take a significant amount of time, we’re excited to tackle this challenge and will get back to you as soon as we are ready.”

It’s disheartening for fans, especially those who bought in to the game’s economy and spent real money on cards. Valve hasn’t offered a set time-table or roadmap for the future, but that could materialize once it figures out all the changes that Artifact needs. Stay tuned in the meantime for more information, and let’s hope that “Valve Time” doesn’t apply here.

Valve released their first game in years late last year. Artifact was a collectible card game, based on the lore of DOTA 2. More perplexingly, it was not a free to play game, where just about every major title in the genre is. That said, there was still a certain degree of expectation from the title, since, well, it’s a Valve game. And you’d expect Valve games to do well, no matter what.

But Artifact doesn’t seem to be obliging. As of right now, the game has less than 1,700 players (according to Steam Charts), which means it has plummeted out of the top hundred most played games on Steam entirely—hitherto unseen performance for a currently supported Valve game.

It’s unclear why the game has failed to gain traction, but to be fair, it’s also too early to sound the warning bells just yet. Counter Strike GO similarly threatened to sink without a trace shortly after launch, and now it is Valve’s biggest game. Maybe the studio will manage to turn things around. We’ll see.

Valve’s Artifact, a card battler set in the Dota 2 universe, is now available on Steam. A new trailer has been released to introduce players to the game, while a new comic, Call to Arms, is also available. Valve boss Gabe Newell stated, “We hope all gamers enjoy Artifact, especially fans of Dota 2 and card gaming enthusiasts.

“Working with Richard Garfield has been an incredible opportunity for everyone at Valve, and we look forward to expanding the game with him based upon feedback and input from the community.” Garfield is perhaps better known as the legendary designer behind Magic: The Gathering. Though this is Valve’s entry into the collectible card battler genre, Artifact promises stellar visuals and a deeper look into the world of Dota.

In fact, the Call to Arms comic promises to set the stage “for a series of events that will transform the world of Dota“. Considering how popular Dota 2 continues to be – with a peak player count of 643,599 today on Steam – it should be interesting to see how Artifact interacts with the MOBA. Furthermore, can it compete with the likes of Blizzard’s Hearthstone, its far more entrenched and seasoned competitor?

It’s early days yet. Artifact currently retails for $19.99 on Steam, with user reviews being “Mixed” overall.

Déraciné

FromSoftware has been working like crazy to diversify its portfolio and Déraciné is perhaps its most off-beat title. As a faerie of sorts, the player moves around a boarding school, influencing the lives of its students. Freezing time and building personal bonds with the students are the core tenets of the game. However, it’s perhaps most intriguing because it’s a PlayStation VR title. What does the story hold and will it contain the same deep world-building that’s defined so many FromSoftware games? Déraciné arrives on November 6^th so it won’t be long before we find out.

Overkill’s The Walking Dead (PC Version)

Though the Xbox One and PS4 versions were delayed into 2019, Overkill’s The Walking Dead is still coming to PC next month. Focusing on four survivors, each with their own unique skills and backstories, the first person shooter lets you play either super-stealthy or guns blazing in scenarios teeming with zombies. Players will need to loot supplies and defend their home camp, ensuring it survives against the onslaught of the undead. Overkill’s The Walking Dead arrives for PC on November 6^th.

Spyro Reignited Trilogy

After a sudden delay, Spyro Reignited Trilogy is set to release on November 13^th for Xbox One and PS4 (no Switch or PC confirmation yet). Featuring remasters for Insomniac’s original games, namely Spyro the Dragon, Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage! and Spyro: Year of the Dragon, the trilogy promises gorgeous graphics paired with the same awesome platforming. If that weren’t enough, a remastered version of the soundtrack also accompanies the original with the ability to choose between the two.

Fallout 76

When Bethesda first announced Fallout 76, we were expecting any number of things. An online FPS/RPG with social elements and games-as-a-service content was not one of them. Impressions from the beta have ranged from enthusiastic to somewhat worried but we honestly won’t know how good Fallout 76 is until it releases. Will it bomb? Or should we learn to stop worrying and just love the always-online gameplay? We’ll find out on November 14^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Hitman 2

Those craving a solid stealth experience needn’t worry as Agent 47 is back in town. Hitman 2 promises a full game with six locations, different story missions, Contracts and different targets to hunt post-launch. Of course, the same challenges and variety of gameplay remain but IO Interactive is adding some intriguing new content. Ghost Mode lets you compete against another player, fighting to assassinate targets faster than them while the original Hitman’s locations and missions will be available and updated in the sequel. Releasing on November 14^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC, Hitman 2 should be yet another excellent outing with our favourite assassin.

Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!

It’s Pokemon! Well, it’s sort of Pokemon. The original 151 creatures are here, battles with trainers and Gym Leaders still apply and Pokemon can be captured and trained. However, Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! take several cues from the mobile Pokemon GO series, incorporating Joy-Con controls for capturing Pokemon. You can forego motion controls altogether and sure it’s weird, but this is still a proper Pokemon game. We’ll find out how fun it is when it launches on November 16^th for Nintendo Switch.

Battlefield 5

The next iteration of Battlefield saw its own delay by roughly a month for additional polish. We’ve gotten a better look at the various War Stories contained within, the schedule for Tides of War and even how the game’s economy will work. While Firestorm won’t be available till March 2019, Battlefield 5 should still have a host of interesting mechanics to exploit like fortifications and Companies on top of the new maps and modes. It’s out on November 20^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Darksiders 3

The much-awaited sequel in the cult classic franchise is nearly upon us. Gunfire Games’ Darksiders 3 takes place in a seamlessly linked open world while returning to the hack and slash action that defined the first game. Playing as Fury, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, there will be whips, acrobatics, magic and different forms to take advantage of. How the quest to defeat the Seven Deadly Sins plays out remains to be seen but it should be a marked improvement over Darksiders 2. Darksiders 3 releases on November 27^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Tetris Effect

You’ve played Tetris, sure, but have you played Rez creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi’s version of Tetris? Tetris Effect arrives for PS4 and PlayStation VR on November 9^th, bringing a more musical-based rhythm to the puzzle experience. While we doubt players will still be seeing Tetris blocks falling after the game is over, Tetris Effect should provide a surreal yet visually resplendent experience for fans of the series.

Spider-Man DLC 2: Turf Wars

Turf Wars is the second chapter for The City That Never Sleeps, the DLC saga for Insomniac’s Spider-Man. While there isn’t a whole lot known at this point, it will bring new story missions, new suits (hopefully with suit powers this time) and some new enemies. Will famed villain Hammerhead make an appearance? Time will tell but for now, stay tuned for the DLC’s launch in November if you want even more Spider-Man.

Honourable mentions

Here are a few honourable mentions outside of our top ten that may be of interest.

• Underworld Ascendant
• Kursk
• Ride 3
• Artifact
• Farming Simulator 19
• The Quiet Man
• Football Manager 2019

Artifact, the collectible card game based on the DOTA 2 universe that Valve showed off last year, and which will be the first new game Valve has published in five years (not counting the VR demos and slices they made), will be launching later this year on Steam. Surprisingly enough, the game will not be free like other CCGs, such as Hearthstone, Gwent, and The Elder Scrolls: Legends are. Instead, Valve will be charging $20 for it, which also makes this the first time they have released a non-free to play game in six years.

Better still, you actually get to go hands on with it before you spend that money on it (I assume it is a necessity now, since it has been so long since the last new Valve game that some people don’t necessarily feel confident anymore). The game will apparently be playable for attendees of PAX, as Geoff Keighley pointed out on his Twitter account.

So- Artifact, launching exclusively on Steam, for $20, on November 28. This ought to be an interesting game to observe.

Valve’s Artifact is coming to Steam on November 28 for $20, and will be playable for fans at @Official_PAX

— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) August 1, 2018

During a recent briefing for Artifact, Valve’s upcoming not-free to play card game, president Gabe Newell announced that the company was going to be releasing several more games in the coming months.

As per PC Gamer, Newell said that Artifact was the first of several of new releases. “Artifact is the first of several games that are going to be coming from us. So that’s sort of good news. Hooray! Valve’s going to start shipping games again.”

Newell expressed interest in Nintendo’s approach of creating games and the hardware together, as seen with the Nintendo Switch. He then confessed that the company has “always been a little bit jealous of companies like Nintendo.”

“When Miyamoto is sitting down and thinking about the next version of Zelda or Mario, he’s thinking what is the controller going to look like, what sort of graphics and other capabilities. He can introduce new capabilities like motion input because he controls both of those things.

“And he can make the hardware look as good as possible because he’s designing the software at the same time that’s really going to take advantage of it. So that is something we’ve been jealous of, and that’s something that you’ll see us taking advantage of subsequently.”

While we’re not sure if that means Valve will try creating its own console eventually, the company has seen rather mixed success in the field with its Steam Machines, Steam Controllers and even the HTC Vive. That being said, the company is focusing on releasing new games so that’s good news. Whether that means follow-ups to Portal and Left 4 Dead will be coming remains to be seen. It’s possible the developer will simply introduce new IPs as it goes along.

And no, Half-Life 3 is not one of those games. Let the meme die already.

The International 2017 is a big enough stage for Valve and its free to play MOBA Dota 2 but what bigger thing to do than announce a brand new game? We got a brief teaser for Artifact, which is billed as “The Dota Card Game”and it will be releasing in 2018.

What makes Artifact so special, especially in a market that include Gwent, Hearthstone, Fable Fortune, Duelyst and so many other card games? It was revealed that Artifact actually has three boards and will apparently (as per Reddit user 0x38E) have a few elements from Dota 2 such as building barracks, using creeps and laning.

And of course, there will be Dota 2 heroes – players can equip five heroes along with item cards that can be purchased with gold. Hero abilities can be used, like Bounty Hunter being able to track an enemy Hero to pick up additional gold. Creature cards can be played and certain cards will persistent effects on lanes.

Check out the teaser below.