Although the MOBA shooter remains invite-only, an engine upgrade, anti-cheat measures, and new map objectives are driving massive player growth.
Valve has released a major update for its MOBA hero shooter Deadlock, which remains invitation-only.
The new features have caused Deadlock to shatter its previous record for concurrent active users—more than 220,000 players were active.
New Heroes, Map Overhaul, and Source 2: An Overview of the Most Important New Features
With this update, the map has been significantly revamped, and it also introduces six new heroes, new mobs, and new mission objectives. In addition, there are updates to the HUD, health bars, the shop, and much more.
Deadlock’s engine code has also been updated to the latest version of Source 2, anti-cheat measures have been improved, and optimizations have been made to prediction, rendering, audio performance, and item artwork. The light and heavy melee attacks for all heroes have also received new sound effects.
You can read the details on the official website.
A look at the roadmap: item redesigns, mid-boss overhauls, and an uncertain release date
In addition, Valve provides insights into the current state of Deadlock’s development in a Steam post. According to the post, the studio is working on extensive item redesigns, new items, and alternative game modes “intended to expand the scope of the game.” However, it remains unclear whether all of these features will make it into the final release.
Future updates are set to focus on the midboss, the Guardians, and the Walkers: “We consider these elements important; we just haven’t gotten around to them yet,” the post states. “That’s what we’ll tackle next.” Revisions to the hero models will likely come later in the development process.
A release date or specific release window for Deadlock remains up in the air.
