Artifact (board game)

Artifact is a collectible card game (CCG) created by Valve, based on the Dota 2 universe. It was released on Steam for Windows, macOS, and Linux in November 2018. Gameplay revolves around managing three separate boards, each representing a "lane," with units and improvements placed on each lane to battle opponents.

Players build decks of cards, including hero cards, item cards, and spell cards, to strategically control the lanes and destroy the opponent's Ancient, a key structure in each lane. The game incorporates elements of resource management, tactical positioning, and card synergy. Winning requires destroying two out of three enemy Ancients.

Unlike traditional free-to-play CCGs, Artifact originally required an upfront purchase price for the game itself, as well as booster packs to expand a player's card collection. This economic model, along with a perceived high skill floor and a complex user interface, contributed to a decline in player base.

Valve subsequently announced a major overhaul of the game, initially codenamed "Artifact 2.0" or "Artifact Foundry." This revised version aimed to address player concerns and simplify some of the game's mechanics. It was eventually released in beta as a free-to-play title. However, development on Artifact 2.0 was officially discontinued in March 2021, and both the original Artifact and Artifact 2.0 were made freely available to download with all cards unlocked, essentially turning the game into a historical curiosity within the CCG genre. The game received its final update at that time.