Valve, the video game developer, announced on Mar. 4 that they will discontinue the development for "Artifact" due to poor player count.
This conclusion came after the game's launch back in 2018 and the release of its subsequent reboot, "Artifact 2.0 beta."
Valve to discontinue Artifact
The "Artifact" team stated that while they were reasonably satisfied with what they have accomplished as they could meet their game-side goals, they have not managed to get the active player numbers to a level that justifies the further development of the game.
The team added that because of this, they had made a decision to stop the development of the "Artifact 2.0 beta."
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For those players who were able to download "Artifact" and are still hanging onto it, and for those who are just now wanting to give it a shot, Valve announced that they are making both versions of "Artifact" free for all.
Valve also stated that the players will be able to access all of the cards for free, meaning the card packs will no longer be available for purchase, according to The Verge.
'Artifact' Collector's Edition
Meanwhile, those who bought the card packs in "Artifact Classic" in the past will be able to see their cards converted into special Collector's Edition versions. They will remain marketable between the players.
With that said, the marketplace integration will also be removed from the game. Players who paid for the base game of "Artifact" in the past will still be able to receive Collector's Edition cards for playing, while the players who got the "Artifact" for free will not get the Collector's Edition cards.
Valve has posted the full details on their website.
The "Artifact" team also said that they are grateful to all "Artifact" players and especially to those who were able to help them tune and refine what would become "Artifact Foundry." They added that the team feels that this approach is the best and it can better serve the gaming community.
The team also wrote that they are proud of the work that they have done on both games, and they are excited about delivering them to a larger audience in the future.
The failure of "Artifact" to gain traction and attention is a massive disappointment for the gaming company Valve, as expressed by Valve's co-founder Gabe Newell.
In an interview with IGN, Newell stated that he and the company looked to "Artifact" and other failed projects as valuable learning experiences and that they are taking note of it to know what they can improve on in the future.
Valve's next gaming project, "DOTA Underlords," is a streamlined version of the Auto Chess mod, and it has already managed to bat the player count of "Artifact" in just two hours.
"Artifact" was able to review very well, but the players criticized the game for its card monetization, with booster packs around $2 apiece.
Players could also earn cards through draft modes, but they were required to use event tickets, which also cost them money. Before the launch of "Artifact 2.0," Valve announced that the reboot would be earned through gameplay and not sold
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Written by Sieeka Khan
