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 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 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.