Summary
Despite a steady stream of updates throughout 2024, Valve is planning on slowing things down forDeadlockgoing into 2025. The company has stated it will be changing how it handlesDeadlockupdates going forward, explaining that current matches are making it difficult to deliver as consistently as last year. While disappointing for fans hoping to see constant changes asDeadlockdevelopment continues, this means that when updates do drop, they will be bigger than before.
Valve’s not-so-secret free-to-play MOBADeadlockfirst dropped on Steam in early 2024 after gameplay leaked online. Since then, the role-oriented third-person shooter has carved out a significant place for itself in the ever-crowded hero-shooter genre, with the game now also having to compete with the incredibly popularMarvel Rivals. However,Deadlockhas that elusive Valve “polish,” with the game steeped in a steampunk-adjacent style that makes it stand out. The title has changed in significant ways over the last year, though Valve plans to limit the frequency of the updates it ships.
According toPCGamesN, Valve says thatupdates for its new free-to-play titleDeadlockwill be less frequent throughout 2025. “As we start 2025 we are going to be adjusting our update schedule to help improve our development process,” Valve developer Yoshi stated. “While it was very helpful for us in the beginning, we’ve found that our fixed two-week cycle has made it more difficult for us to iterate on certain types of changes internally, as well as sometimes not giving enough time for the changes themselves to settle externally before the next update came around.” This news was shared on the officialDeadlockDiscord, likely disappointing those who had hoped to see the steady content overhauls continue. However, while players will see fewer updates overall, this means that when updates do drop, they will be bigger than ever before and will feel more like events rather than small hotfixes.
Valve Says It’s Slowing Down Deadlock Updates
Deadlockreceived a special winter update during the holidays, which offered fans a nice change of pace when compared to the slew of balance changes seen throughout the year. Assuming Valve’s new game follows a similar live service model to its contemporaries, players will likely continue to see limited-time events and other special modes drop for the game asdevelopment onDeadlockcontinues. “Going forward, major patches will no longer be on a fixed schedule," continues Yoshi. “These patches will be larger than before, albeit a little bit more spaced out, and hotfixes will continue to be released as needed. We look forward to fleshing out the game in the new year.”
Deadlockcurrently features a total of 22 different characters to try out, ranging from slow-moving tanks to heavy-hitting flankers. These 22 characters can be used in regular game modes, but players looking to experiment can use eight additional heroes inDeadlock’s Hero Labs mode. Despite not even being officially released,Deadlockhas managed to make a name for itself in several ways. Praised for its variety of characters and creativity,Deadlockalso employs a unique way to deal with cheaters. An official release date has not been confirmed, but players can expect to hear more news regardingDeadlockin 2025.
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.
