Valve release Artifact trailer and 'Call to Arms' comic to mark today's full launch

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The fantasy card battler Artifact is now live on Steam, a long-awaited moment that also brings us a new comic, Call to Arms, and a trailer that showcases flashy snippets of gameplay.

"We hope all gamers enjoy Artifact, especially fans of Dota 2 and card gaming enthusiasts," Valve boss Gabe Newell said. "Working with Richard Garfield has been an incredible opportunity for everyone at Valve, and we look forward to expanding the game with him based upon feedback and input from the community."

Call to Arms follows Prelude, released earlier this week, which introduced players to the House of the Cunning, whose members wield powerful magic that can change the course of history. And while barebones narrative frameworks are pretty much mandatory for digital card games these days, this tale promises more: Valve said that Call to Arms "sets the stage for a series of events that will transform the world of Dota," the setting that Artifact shares with with mega-MOBA Dota 2.

"Working on Artifact has been fantastic—a digital card game which really leverages what is made possible by the medium rather than being limited by it," said Garfield, whose previous game creations include Magic: The Gathering. "That has been a long time dream of mine and Valve has been a terrific partner in the development."

Artifact is available now on Steam for $20, and the Artifact Marketplace, where players can buy and sell cards, is now open as well. (It initially appeared to have only Common and Uncommon cards listed, but Rares are now available as well.) Find out more at playartifact.com, and for a closer look at what it's all about, be sure to catch up with our review-in-progress.

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Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.