Summary
Valve has revealedDeadlock, its latest game that combines elements of several popular multiplayer genres. Its announcement arrived without much fanfare, following a long string of comprehensive leaks aboutValve’s upcoming title.
Deadlockhas been Valve’s worst-kept secret since May 2024, when the company launched its invite-only alpha via Steam. Everyone who got into the test was first greeted with a screen asking them not to share “anything about the game with anyone.” But seeing how all testers got an unlimited number of invites, it did not take long forDeadlockto start leaking all over.
Deadlock Steam Page Goes Live
Valve has now finally decided to make the game official, having done so bylaunching its Steam pagein the late evening hours ET on Friday, August 23. The storefront listing is fairly light on the details, describingDeadlockas a multiplayer game that is currently in early development. Given that state of affairs, the current build has a lot of placeholder art and “experimental gameplay,” the product description reads. The page doesn’t mention much in the way of PC system requirements beyond stating that the game can only run on 64-bit CPUs and operating systems. According to prior player reports,Deadlockworks on both Windows and the Steam Deck, which runs the SteamOS 3.0 Linux distro.
While the Steam page is free of gameplay screenshots, it does include a brief video teaser. The 22-second clip rendered in the Source 2 engine shows a glimpse of what’s currently the game’s only map. Some background mobs can be seen running across a street near the end of the video, while a cigarette-smoking character leaning on the wall of a “Third Eye Supply” shop is visible in the foreground. The detective-looking figure may not be a playable character right now, as he wasn’t mentioned in the recentleak detailing allDeadlockheroes, of which there are presently said to be 19.
AlthoughDeadlocklooks like a hero shooterat first glance, the game is much more of a traditional MOBA than its third-person camera might imply. Matches take place on a huge map where two teams of six players attempt to control checkpoints by leading minions down four lanes, destroying enemy defenses, and buying upgrades. While having snappy aim doesn’t hurt, large health pools and a plethora of ways to become tankier both contribute to makingDeadlockmore of a strategic experience rather than one in which players rely on their reflexes. A typical match lasts around half an hour.
Valve Lifts Deadlock Content Sharing Restrictions
Deadlockhas so far peaked at over 44,000 concurrent playerson August 18, five days ahead of its official announcement. The game’s reveal coincided with Valve lifting its content sharing restrictions, allowing playtesters to freely upload footage and screenshots from the upcoming MOBA on social media. Although the company has yet to say anything official about the game’s business model,Deadlockhas all the makings of a free-to-play title.
Deadlock
WHERE TO PLAY
Deadlock is an upcoming game from Valve which seemingly combines elements of the MOBA and hero shooter genres. As it is still in early development, gameplay and assets may be incomplete. Access is granted via friend invites.
