Summary
- Valve, famous for Half-Life and Portal, is rumored to be developing a new hero shooter game called Deadlock.
- According to the rumors, Deadlock is a third-person shooter with elements of fantasy and steampunk, featuring big maps and unique abilities.
- While some fans are excited for Deadlock, others are disappointed Valve may be focusing on multiplayer titles instead of single-player games.
Details of a new hero shooter in development at Valve, known as Deadlock, have been leaked online. Once known for releasing critically acclaimed titles like Half-Life, Portal, and Left 4 Dead, recent years have seen Valve focus primarily on Steam. The company also released Counter-Strike 2 last year, which replaced its predecessor, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Despite this, Valve fans have continued to wonder when the renowned gaming company will release its next big title.
Over the past five years, the multiplayer hero shooter zeitgeist has been dominated by the likes of Blizzard's Overwatch, EA's Apex Legends, and Riot Games' Valorant. NetEase has just recently thrown its hat into the ring as well, with Marvel Rivals, a third-person hero shooter which features the likes of Spider-Man, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, and other popular Marvel heroes. Marvel Rivals went live with a closed alpha test earlier this month, which was quite well received.
8 Best Valve Protagonists, Ranked
Valve games have played home to several iconic protagonists, but some are arguably better and more iconic than others.
Valve pioneered the hero shooter in 2007 when it released Team Fortress 2, and it seems that it may be returning to the genre, as details have leaked online about its next title. On Twitter, Gabe Follower, a Valve-centric content creator, shared information about Valve's next game, which is believed to be a 6v6 third-person hero shooter named Deadlock. Gabe Follower added that Deadlock features a setting which blends fantasy and steampunk, with large maps that let players utilize grapple rails to get around quicker, a la BioShock Infinite.
New Multiplayer Hero Shooter Deadlock Rumored To Be In Development At Valve
Popular titles like Dota 2, Orcs Must Die, and Smite were also brought up in Gabe Follower's tweets, with the most obvious comparisons being Team Fortress 2, Overwatch, and Valorant. A lot of Valve fans seemed disappointed that the company is possibly moving ahead with another multiplayer title before patching up Counter-Strike 2, which many believe is still in need of serious attention from Valve. Others were hoping for a new single-player experience from the company, as 2020's VR-exclusive Half-Life: Alyx is Valve's latest game of such nature.
Despite all this, it seems Deadlock has a lot of different ingredients that could make it stand out from the hero shooter crowd, from floating rails to elements of tower defense, to the fact that it's in third-person instead of first. Whether it sticks the landing and is able to compete with the likes of Overwatch 2 and Valorant will remain to be seen. If the leaks are true, it'll be difficult to tell when Deadlock's proper reveal will happen. Valve doesn't regularly release new games like other big publishers do, so it's hard to pin down when fans may be able to hear from the company. Fans should also keep in mind that these rumors could be completely false, and so it's best to keep one's expectations in check.
Counter-Strike 2
- Released
- September 27, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
For over two decades, Counter-Strike has offered an elite competitive experience, one shaped by millions of players from across the globe. And now the next chapter in the CS story is about to begin. This is Counter-Strike 2.
A free upgrade to CS:GO, Counter-Strike 2 marks the largest technical leap in Counter-Strike’s history. Built on the Source 2 engine, Counter-Strike 2 is modernized with realistic physically-based rendering, state of the art networking, and upgraded Community Workshop tools.
