Amid an online decline, Valve changes the development flow for Deadlock

Deadlock Player Count Plummets, Valve Adjusts Development Strategy

Deadlock, Valve's MOBA-shooter, has seen a significant drop in its player base, with peak online counts now rarely exceeding 20,000 players. In response, Valve has announced a revised development approach.

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The studio will move away from its previous bi-weekly update schedule. Future updates will be released on a less rigid timeline, prioritizing quality over frequency. A developer stated that this change will allow for more substantial, well-tested updates. While major updates will be less frequent, hotfixes will continue to be deployed as needed.

Deadlock's player count has fallen dramatically from its peak of over 170,000 players to its current 18,000-20,000 range. However, Valve assures fans that this doesn't signal the game's demise. The game is still in early access, with no release date set. This, coupled with the potential prioritization of a new Half-Life title (reportedly internally approved), suggests a delay in Deadlock's official launch.

Valve's strategy emphasizes long-term quality over rapid iteration. The company believes a polished product will naturally attract and retain players. This approach mirrors the evolution of Dota 2, which also transitioned to a less frequent update schedule after its initial launch. Therefore, the changes to Deadlock's development cycle shouldn't be viewed as a negative sign.