Online Games That Would Benefit From Going Free to Play in 2019
Artifact
With a 24-hour peak of just over 1,000 players, it’s safe to say that Artifact has been a flop and certainly not the Hearthstone-killer Valve would have been hoping for.
At the core of the issue was the manner in which Artifact’s progression was based around monetization beyond its asking price. In brief, not only do players have to pay for their copy, they then have to pay for card packs and certain game modes.
It all felt like a bit of a cash grab, and players didn’t respond kindly to it. And so it’s time for Valve to face the facts and change Artifact’s revenue model.
Ultimately, the longer they wait to make this a free-to-play title, the harder it’s going to be to push forward with its revival.
Although players have expressed their concerns with other areas of the game, like its stream viewing experience and learning curve, it’s the cost of admission that’s gatekeeping Artifact the most. It’s down 97% in players since launch.
If Valve doesn’t do something about the price, there are few paths forward for this game.