Valve’s Deadlock Sees Major Player Count Spike

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Right now, Valve’s work-in-progress Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) titled “Deadlock” is experiencing a significant surge in player numbers. This resurgence has brought the game back to levels not witnessed in almost a year. The upsurge in “Deadlock” players is attributable to the recent introduction of several new characters, with further additions expected soon.

Tests for the Deadlock game started approximately a year back. However, despite widespread understanding that it was in development, Valve initially refused to acknowledge its existence. The game’s launch garnered significant attention, peaking at over 171,000 simultaneous players on Steam. Unfortunately, the player base has decreased since then. To participate in the Deadlock playtest now, one can only receive an invitation from a friend on Steam, which could be challenging for some gamers.

Deadlock Currently Has Its Highest Player Count in Almost a Year

Although enthusiasm for Valve’s forthcoming multiplayer MOBA remains evident, as evidenced by recent SteamDB statistics. In just the past few days, the player count for Deadlock reached a high of 47,111, which is significant considering it has consistently stayed between 10,000 and 20,000 over the last several months. While it’s still significantly lower than its all-time peak player count of 171,490, this increased interest suggests that Deadlock is unlikely to flop when it’s fully released.

The unexpected surge in players for Deadlock isn’t a coincidence. On August 18, Valve made its presence known, revealing that six new heroes for Deadlock would soon be introduced. As of now, only three out of the six have been unveiled: Mina, Billy, and The Doorman. Particularly noteworthy among these releases is The Doorman, whose ability to open doors on walls (some might call them portals) has piqued the interest of many gamers, given its resemblance to another well-known franchise from Valve. The introduction of these characters has already enticed fans to give Deadlock another try, but whether they’ll stay engaged remains to be seen.

In recent times, there appears to be a resurgence in Valve’s focus on developing comprehensive video games following a period of relative inactivity during the mid-to-late 2010s. Notable releases like Counter-Strike 2 in 2023 and regular updates, along with positive development whispers about Half-Life 3 from well-informed sources, are evidence of this. Additionally, Deadlock signifies Valve venturing into uncharted territory, indicating an exciting time for the gaming industry as a whole.

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2025-08-24 20:00