Deadlock Update Launches as Game Reaches Record Player Count

Valve has launched a significant update for its lane-based multiplayer hero shooter, Deadlock, which has propelled the game to its highest concurrent player count yet. The City Never Sleeps update brings a fresh map, six new characters, and a variety of new creeps, now officially dubbed Haunts.

Following the update’s release, player numbers soared past 228,000, marking a new record for the game, as noted by SteamDB.

In addition to the City Never Sleeps update, Valve provided insights into the game’s ongoing development, indicating that there’s still a considerable amount of work ahead. After the January update, Old Gods New Blood, the team expressed their desire to refine the core game before moving on to polishing aspects like updating older hero artwork.

The Deadlock team has been developing several features simultaneously, some of which are included in the latest update. They mentioned, “Some others are things we’ve been working on in the last few months alongside this update. This even includes things like progression and hero/hideout customizations, as we feel those are features we want to be able to adjust and significantly change based on feedback before the game is fully released. There are also other things we’ve been working on recently that are more speculative (as in we aren’t 100% sure if they will be released or not based on how playtesting goes, though results so far have been promising) like large item redesigns/additions and alternate game modes that expand the scope of the game.”

Overall, the team seems pleased with Deadlock’s development over the years, especially with the feedback received from players.

The highlights of the update include the New York City map, which captures the essence of the early to mid-20th century in a stylized and eerie manner.

Deadlock’s New York introduces Haunts, replacing the previous neutrals with imaginative new creatures.

Additionally, six new heroes are making their debut, many of whom embody the spirit of New York: Nurse Harrow, Rat King, Solomon, Deadman Danny, Baba, and Violet. While Rat King (accompanied by a pizza rat supplicant) and Solomon (a competitive chess player) stand out, there’s also Baba, a charming old lady who hangs out with pigeons, adding some delightful representation to the hero roster. Players can vote in-game to determine which of the six new heroes will be released first.

For more information on the City Never Sleeps update, check the official Deadlock website.

A hero shooter that isn’t afraid to carve its own niche.