Is Artifact already a dead game?

[fertygo]

Yeah I must agree, Artifact not feel like CCG its felt almost totally like Board Games at this point tho.. even the still playing community itself doesn't care about the deck sharing, meta report, etc.

The constructed side feels really undercooked and its hurt the social sharing aspect of the game.

 

[Deleted member 2802]

I remember people where falling over themselves to get a Hearthstone beta invite.
But yeah it's a completely different approach.
I would give it another year.

Time will tell if it succeeds, but right now I don't know if it has a future as an esport/fulltime Artifact-only streamer
It's not interesting to watch, but it's superfun to play.

 

[matimeo]

Interesting as I too read and heard the gameplay was solid but then heard differently as longer play sessions wouldn't be enough for my friends to drop it so fast especially coming from a developer known to iterate.

Makes it seem like certain core mechanics didnt resonate with those who left.

It also could be because of how valve positioned the game dependacy on its marketplace that many early adopters were just going for a market play and not interested in playing the game at all let alone long term which inflates the drop off numbers a bit.

 

[Qvoth]

most players don't have a good collection of cards to build a strong deck
but the current card collecting free progression comes only from leveling up and even then it's only up till a certain level, and it's gonna take a while
on the other hand, valve can't give away cards too easily so as to not destroy the market
imo valve is caught between a rock and hard place

edit: for comparison, i built an izzet phoenix deck on magic arena from playing casually within about a month if i'm not mistaken, maybe 5 weeks
it's not tier 1 but easily 2

 

[ShadowFlare]

Lifecoach recently took a "break" from the game and was critical with some of the decisions that Valve made. He'll probably be back, but he's done/said the same things when he quit HS and Gwent.

An interesting comparison I read is how similar it is with Titanfall 2. Both games were highly praised by people who played it, but their numbers dropped off pretty quick after launch. A possible reason is that since the games have a very high skill ceiling, each match can be very stressful and intense. Most gamers probably play games to relax and have fun, so when they find time for gaming, they may gravitate towards something that's not as brain intensive. I know for me, after a few matches in Artifact, I'm done for the night. Saying that, I don't think this game is dead at all, but I really doubt numbers will improve that much unless Valve makes some serious changes with the core gameplay.

 

[Deleted member 1849]

I really wish the "dead game" thing around Artifact would stop. It's genuinely an amazing game and I fully recommend it to people, especially if draft mode is your thing in card games.

Unfortunately, it's not easy to follow when watching it, and the games run on longer than HS and can be fatiguing because they require so much more concentration and decision making. As much as I enjoy the game, that's seemingly killed the interest in it among more casual players.

 

[Qvoth]

it's not the core gameplay that imo valve needs to change
just do something simple like weekly quests and i wouldn't be surprised some people will return

 

[ZeroX]

Lifecoach recently took a "break" from the game and was critical with some of the decisions that Valve made. He'll probably be back, but he's done/said the same things when he quit HS and Gwent.

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The break lasted literally two days and his issues with the game were to do with high level competitive progression which is something that only really matters to him and the top players. L

He was angry that people on Reddit blew it up to be more than it was.

 

[Zukuu]

I don't understand their business model. Have they not learned anything by Dota 2, LOL, Fortnight, HS, Warframe and the like? How can you build a collectable game and then charge a price for it? It should have been free-to-play, but it has a price in addition to all the f2p mechanisms. Hell, even CS:GO just went free to play - that is how you do service games and retain a stable player base.

 

[Ionic]

I think it's an intimidating game. I enjoy it, but I literally only play against my friend when he's online because I don't want to try my wits against players I don't know. I haven't played any other online card games so I don't know how Artifact compares in that respect, but it certainly limits my possible play time.

 

[Atom Heart Mother]

Very true - R6: Siege & Street Fighter V are maybe the best examples of this.

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Valve's done it before. They turned CSGO around a year or 2 after release into what we know it as today.

 

[DevilPuncher]

I like the game a lot, but it definitely seems like it's hemorrhaging it's playerbase. The number of concurrent users is very low and the card prices are tanking.

For instance, a decklist I was looking at that was averaging 10+ dollars is now in the 6 dollar range in a span of days, and I suspect that it will go even lower. I think that this is due in part both to balancing issues and the fact that it's the only online TCG (that I know of) to offer an entirely free limited format. On the one hand this is a good thing so as that people who really enjoy the game will be able to build Tier 1 decks on the cheap, but on the other hand it seems like people are just cashing out all of their cards while they're worth something.

I don't think that the game is dead per se, but Valve definitely do need to put the work in to get people interested in playing it again.

 

[Leveean]

The twitch metrics are terrible because its very difficult to understand if you don't play it. The reveal streams were just full of confusion and needed constant explanations for basic mechanics.

Valve does zero advertising and relies completely on word of mouth to sell their games. Without twitch its going to be a pretty rough start.

 

[itchi]

Don't know about playing but the game is terrible for watching on Twitch. What other game do you have to watch a tutorial first to understand what is going on?

 

[Starviper]

I like the game a lot but a single game can take around 40 minutes and the mechanics are not very clear to someone who doesn't play the game. Maybe not the best for streaming but as a single player experience it's really enjoyable.

 

[kpaadet]

Yeah this is exactly it right there. This is why I unsubbed him too. I love the HS streamers but they make so much money from Blz they will quit any game unless you pay them for their losses. Even still- they will bail from your game because they have to think about the long term.

(THat's cool he's playing Magic though, but he's following the money like I was getting at)

edit: Artifact needs a huge money pot for pro players. They got any huge tourneys?

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How dare these streamers stick to the games their viewers cares about. The fact he's mainly a Magic streamer now just make your ridiculous attitude even funnier.

 

[Twig]

No.

 

[Whales]

twitch viewership is almost never a good gauge of a game's popularity tbh

 

[dimb]

Stop using Twitch as a metric of any sort.

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Okay? The Steam metrics are public and nobody wants to play this game.

 

[lemonade]

The only reason this game is still on life support and not dead is because the name Valve is behind it.

Economy is trash and the pay to pay to play model is stupid.

 

[Deleted member 1849]

The only reason this game is still on life support and not dead is because the name Valve is behind it.

Economy is trash and the pay to pay to play model is stupid.

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It has never had a "pay to pay to play" model. Draft and preconstructed modes are included and require no extra payment ever, and you can build a viable constructed deck with the cards you get from the standard packs and the CTA packs you get from the start and by selling the cards you don't want.

Monoblack starts out around $3.50, which is a fair bit less than the expected value of your starting packs.

The version I use online is admittedly a little more, and was $6.50 the last time I checked. You might get that from your starting packs but it's unlikely, but probably doable with the season packs and tickets.

 

[ZeroX]

Economy is trash and the pay to pay to play model is stupid.

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People spreading dumb misinformation like this sure doesn't help the game

it's not the core gameplay that imo valve needs to change
just do something simple like weekly quests and i wouldn't be surprised some people will return

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They already added weekly quests

 

[Qvoth]

oh i meant weekly quests that will add up to an infinite card collecting progression
like i mentioned, currently you only get rewards up till a certain level while

 

[Scuffed]

Right now the playerbase is so small most of the time new players will find themselves losing to the dedicated few that still play.

It is an interesting game but games are very long and taxing unless both players are very good and make quick plays. It still feels like it's in beta tbh. I recommend passing on it and try it after it maybe goes f2p. They could still do it if they make the cards you get to start with unsellable.

 

[Deleted member 1190]

Okay? The Steam metrics are public and nobody wants to play this game.

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Okay? Did I say anything about Steam metrics? Use them all you want, they have nothing to do with my statement.

 

[invid02]

If you have to ask this question about a game, chances are it is

 

[Ricelord]

Next to nobody want to pay 20 bucks for an f2p game.

 

[Deleted member 1849]

Next to nobody want to pay 20 bucks for an f2p game.

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And what right do you have to decide what is and isn't f2p? Free unlimited draft and preconstructed already put it above pretty much every f2p card game I know of.

Is that worth $20 though? Well that would depend on how much of a fan of those modes you are.

 

[TheYanger]

It's a great score for $20, you can refund if you don't like it and the marketplace still sells cards for enough that if you want to cash out you'll probably turn a profit with the additional free packs and tickets they give away now.

You can also still find games at most levels within seconds.

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No you can't.

 

[Driggonny]

If I believe in anything, it's that Valve can support an online multiplayer game and build a player base longterm

 

[Deleted member 1849]

No you can't.

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Technically you can, as long as you don't open the packs you get at the start.

Valve really didn't want people trying to reroll it seems.

I disagree with ZeroX on being able to raise enough money to get your money back by selling cards though. That period has already died. Last time I checked the expected value from a pack was around $0.80. A seasons worth of packs isn't even close enough to make the $20 back especially after Valve's cut, but the tickets might do it if you are good enough to average 1 pack per ticket in prize play which is actually pretty difficult.

 

[TheYanger]

Technically you can, as long as you don't open the packs you get at the start.

Valve really didn't want people trying to reroll it seems.

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They told me I couldn't literally 30 minutes after the game went live before I had even finished the tutorials. I think because it 'opens' your starter pack.

 

[Wulfric]

Nope. We just got two patches with new decks and a leaderboard. New expansion should be on the way in a few months. Twitch is not the best metric for a lot of games that are not interesting to watch,

It has a trash economy and card acquisition system.

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Oh sure, because random booster packs are so much better. >__>

 

[Deleted member 1849]

They told me I couldn't literally 30 minutes after the game went live before I had even finished the tutorials. I think because it 'opens' your starter pack.

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It gives you the basic cards that you'll see in the tutorial games. It also gives you 10 ( at launch, now 5 + 10 in season rewards) Call To Arms packs, along with a big scary message saying if you redeem them you lose your refund.

It doesn't open those packs, they sit in your account until you open them yourself. I'm pretty sure you can play preconstructed and draft without ever opening them in fact.

 

[Tagyhag]

Right now it's pretty bad popularity-wise, no one can deny that. Especially for a VALVE title.

That said, the game itself is amazing and Valve has turned things around after a shit launch for games in the past. So I can definitely see this game rising in popularity but only if Valve continues to fix it, and that first expansion is going to have to be REALLY good and marketed A LOT.

I really hope they don't abandon it, I do believe that it was their hubris that made the game crash the way it did (Hell, people forget that it wasn't even going to have free drafts) but if you look at their recent updates that they have turned back on A LOT of things that they originally said. Which is a good thing for most people except for those that wanted this to be 1:1 like a real life TCG.

 

[Jader7777]

Artiwhat?


Oh yeah, that full screen FMV advertisement that played after DotA2 updated... That thing.

 

[noyram23]

Didn't realize it was actually released, it's probably the CCG i'm interested outright, that said I need it on mobile first.

 

[Gankzymcfly]

Was it true that this game was b2p with cardpack mtx's? I remember hearing that was the case and I lost interest.

 

[TheYanger]

It gives you the basic cards that you'll see in the tutorial games. It also gives you 10 ( at launch, now 5 + 10 in season rewards) Call To Arms packs, along with a big scary message saying if you redeem them you lose your refund.

It doesn't open those packs, they sit in your account until you open them yourself. I'm pretty sure you can play preconstructed and draft without ever opening them in fact.

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Yes, I'm aware. I'm saying I was denied a refund without ever touching those packs.
I opened the 'starting items' bundle by playing through the tutorial, which gives you the packs.

EDIT: Looking at the email, it was about 2 hours after launch, I remember I was working and I had to download etc (slow internet) and then idled the login trying to figure out how to even see my packs since I skipped the tutorial initially, but yeah I hadn't opened shit.

 

[dimb]

Okay? Did I say anything about Steam metrics? Use them all you want, they have nothing to do with my statement.

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No, just what is your point? Player participation is bad but stream views do matter for the health of a competitive game.

 

[Deleted member 15476]

It will be a long grind for Valve to restore the game to launch day numbers and beyond, but I don't rule it out. Probably a good thing that they got thrashed with the whole entertainers/streamers promotion strategy as well.

 

[Deleted member 1849]

Yes, I'm aware. I'm saying I was denied a refund without ever touching those packs.
I opened the 'starting items' bundle by playing through the tutorial, which gives you the packs.

EDIT: Looking at the email, it was about 2 hours after launch, I remember I was working and I had to download etc (slow internet) and then idled the login trying to figure out how to even see my packs since I skipped the tutorial initially, but yeah I hadn't opened shit.

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If that's true then my interpretation was wrong and I agree that should change.

I do not remember, but is it possible to skip the starting items entirely? At least until you do the tutorial later.

 

[Vanillalite]

Great board game, terrible CCG.

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Best statement that sums up this game perfectly that I've seen.

 

[Daitokuji]

Not dead, but it has a lot working against it.

1) The $20 entry fee is a high barrier for new players in an age of F2P.
2) The online CCG genre has peaked, even Hearthstone is not as popular as a few years ago.
3) Hardcore and complex gameplay attracts fewer players than casual gameplay

 

[Deleted member 16849]

Stop using Twitch as a metric of any sort.

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You are correct lets use actual numbers.

Every day it's going down and down, Patch 1.2 only gave the game a slight bump and it was down again.

Only 2 things can save the game now

1) Change the business model
2) Support the game so much that people will play in droves

 

[Anteo]

Asked a few friends who have played card games forever , tournaments, etc and some who are game designers as well. The game itself has some core issues for them.

Also heard what was already echoed here the pacing is not great.

None of them mentioned the marketplace stuff , they couldn't get past the core game issues.

It's always harder to move from things like Magic and the accessibility of a hearthstone to any new game however.

What happened to all the streamers pre launch praising the game? Are they still playing themselves a lot ?

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Yeah some people have issues with the arrow and deployment rng an dont like the game because of it, but its not that bad really in my case ve never felt it breaks a game, maybe only in the case i had no outs other than a lucky arrow and at that point its likely i already lost the game.

As for streamers, game is actually not stream friendly, multiple boards confuse new viewers, the game takes a lot of the atention from the streamer so less chat interaction (this was actually well known before release, there was a clip of Slack making fun of HS streamers and how they actually are more in the chat than in the game which wont work in artifact).
With low viewership they had to return to their previous game.

 

[Deleted member 1698]

It is the sfxt of card games.

Lots of hype and an interesting base game that a few people will defend passionately, but boring as fuck to watch, some questionable business decisions and lots of competition that does things better for the actual target market.

It'll get the first expansion and everyone will cry "it is fixed!" But despite the improvement will anyone want to play it? Nope.

Game is flat out dead.

 

[Deleted member 1849]

Asked a few friends who have played card games forever , tournaments, etc and some who are game designers as well. The game itself has some core issues for them.

Also heard what was already echoed here the pacing is not great.

None of them mentioned the marketplace stuff , they couldn't get past the core game issues.

It's always harder to move from things like Magic and the accessibility of a hearthstone to any new game however.

What happened to all the streamers pre launch praising the game? Are they still playing themselves a lot ?

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A lot of streamers are stopping because while they enjoy the game, their viewers don't enjoy watching it.

Lifecoach is one exception, but he is absolutely loaded. I don't think Twitch money is that important to him.

 

[Kabukimurder]

i think it's hard to get people to play this because

1. The monetization model is horrible
2. The DOTA universe is already a soulless plagarism of the Warcraft-universe. Basing another game on it is just so uninteresting.

 

[Anteo]

Was it true that this game was b2p with cardpack mtx's? I remember hearing that was the case and I lost interest.

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You need to buy the game to play, it also gives you access to free infinite draft mode, and a preconstructed deck mode. You can buy packs or just buy the specific card you want from the marketplace if you want to play constructed.