New Valve game Artifact will be released on November 28 for $20

Artifact, the new Valve-made game, will be available on Steam on November 28 for $20. A version for Android and iOS will follow in 2019. The game will also be playable at the end of August at the PAX West game fair in Seattle.

Valve reports to various gaming media that participants at PAX West will have the chance to compete against a veteran of the game as they progress through the various rounds of competition. In addition, merchandise and keys can be won for this digital Dota 2 trading card game.

Depending on your standards, this is the first game to be released by Valve since Dota 2 in 2013. The game was announced last year during The International, a major Dota 2 tournament. If this YouTube video is to be believed, the very first reactions to the unveiling were not unanimously positive.

Earlier this year, Valve already revealed more about the workings of the game. ‘The Half-Life 2 of the trading card games’ will be a Hearthstone-esque game, but with three lanes, just like Dota 2 has. The game will have more than 280 cards and 44 heroes upon release, several of which are straight from Dota 2. Players build decks that consist of 40 cards, with up to five heroes and three duplicates. The cards and heroes are divided into four suits – red, green, black and blue – and can only be played in a lane if there is a hero of the same color in the lane. The effects of cards can also affect other lanes. Similar to Dota, the aim is to demolish two of the enemy’s or his Ancient’s three towers.

Ars Technica, among others, has written an extensive preview based on hands-on experience. The game is also coming out for macOS and Linux.

Images: Ars Technica