Since April 2024, reports have been circulating that Valve is testing a new multiplayer game on Steam more or less secretly. Now the developers of Half-Life and Team Fortress are finally officially acknowledging their project.
What is known about Valve’s new game?
- For months, there have been rumors that Valve is working on a new game. The name circulating in the ether: Deadlock.
- In recent weeks, the reports have intensified, fueled by gameplay videos from players and statistics on websites like SteamDB, which state that the multiplayer title is supposed to have nearly 17,000 simultaneous active testers. The current peak is 44,512 simultaneous active players on August 19, 2024 (via steamdb.info).
- Now there has been a quasi-announcement, as Valve has released the official product page for Deadlock on Steam.
- The only information there: “Deadlock is in early development and includes many temporary graphics, experimental gameplay, and a localization still in progress.”
Game Announcement in a Different Way
Why are so many players already playing Deadlock? That the Valve executives do many things differently than the competition has long been known. Valve CEO Gabe Newell once revealed the login details for his account on Steam to prove how secure his platform is.
In the case of Deadlock, Valve has apparently provided access to selected Steam users who can then recommend their friends for the current testing phase. Instead of official marketing, there was a pseudo-secret word-of-mouth promotion through which reports about Valve’s new project spread like wildfire – including its own Subreddit.
What are the players reporting? If Valve continues to reveal little information about Deadlock, the community has to step in. Here are the most important findings:
- In terms of aesthetics and some mechanics, Deadlock strongly resembles the successful MOBA Dota 2, only packaged in a third-person shooter framework.
- In the parties, groups of six heroes fight against each other on maps with four lanes, where NPC troops also move and fight against each other.
- The goal is to break through the defenses of the opposing team and destroy the enemy’s patron, a huge glowing orb.
- The 20 heroes of Deadlock take on roles as tanks, supporters, and assassins – each with four core abilities. Some fighters are said to resemble comparable multiplayer titles like Overwatch or Team Fortress 2.
- Deadlock is said to be fast-paced. The heroes are highly mobile. Reloading is quick. Thanks to a zipline, one can be right in the action in no time. The maps are built vertically, and abilities allow champions to catapult themselves into the air.
All of this sounds like Deadlock could develop a competitive scene including e-sports events. Valve has already gained a lot of experience with DOTA 2 and Counter-Strike 2. The setup of the shooter definitely gives the impression of being designed for e-sports.
If you’re currently looking for new games, feel free to check out our list of the best shooters. You’ll find titles from various subgenres, depending on what you like: The 25 Best Shooters 2024 – These PvP and PvE games impress with their gameplay
