New Deadlock Update Introduces Cuddly Hero Focused on Naps and Pillow Fights, Boosting Player Count to Nearly 100,000

Deadlock is making waves again, and it’s all thanks to Rem – an adorable new hero who might just be the cutest support character to grace this limited-access third-person shooter.

As part of the massive Old Gods, New Blood update, six new characters are set to join the fray, but there’s a twist. Two heroes will be released each week over the next three weeks until they’re all available to play. Kicking things off is Rem, a charming little character with some serious support skills, chosen through a recent community vote. Valve describes him as “an accidental stowaway from the world of dreams,” giving off some Sandman-like vibes.

“Pillow fights are Rem’s preferred form of conflict,” the developers note, “tossing his favorite pillow at enemies to knock them back when they get too close” – and honestly, I can’t get enough of it. But he’s not just about naptime; he has “Lil Helpers” that buff and support allies while he takes a breather (which, in his case, means literally napping beside you to provide heals). It’s no wonder he won the vote!

Rem’s popularity isn’t just reflected in online polls. According to SteamDB, Deadlock recently hit a 24-hour peak of nearly 100,000 active players at 98,887 – a number the game hasn’t seen in almost two years, with the all-time high of 171,490 recorded back in August 2024. This marks a significant increase from the 20,000 to 30,000 players the game was averaging before Rem’s arrival and the Old Gods, New Blood update. And there’s more on the horizon! Players can look forward to the necromancer hero Graves, the werewolf-like character Silver, the unicorn-horned performer Celeste, arms expert Venator, and the sword-wielding Apollo. The future looks bright for Deadlock fans, and if the current trends continue, we might just see this up-and-coming shooter break its peak player record. What’s another 70,000 players, right?

Keep an eye out for other exciting new games this year and beyond to keep the anticipation rolling after Deadlock.