Valve Unveils Deadlock: New MOBA Shooter on Steam

Valve's new shooter, Deadlock, has finally emerged from the shadows with an official Steam store page. Dive into the details of Valve's recent announcements, the latest beta statistics, the game's unique gameplay features, and the controversy surrounding Valve's approach to Steam's store standards.

Valve Officially Announces Deadlock's Public Availability

Valve has lifted the curtain on Deadlock, its eagerly awaited MOBA shooter that has been the talk of the gaming world. Over the weekend, Valve confirmed the game's existence and unveiled its official Steam page. The closed beta for Deadlock reached a new peak of 89,203 concurrent players, significantly surpassing the previous high of 44,512 on August 18.

Deadlock was previously cloaked in secrecy, known only through leaks and speculation. Valve had enforced strict confidentiality, but the company has now relaxed these restrictions. This means that streaming, community websites, and discussions about Deadlock are now permitted. However, Valve emphasizes that the game remains invite-only and is still in early development with temporary art and experimental features.

Deadlock Promising To Be A MOBA Shooter

According to The Verge, Deadlock combines elements of both MOBA and shooter genres, offering dynamic gameplay. The game features 6-on-6 combat, akin to Overwatch, where teams compete to push back opponents while managing an army of NPC grunts across multiple lanes. This creates a constantly evolving battlefield where both human-controlled heroes and NPC allies play pivotal roles.

Matches in Deadlock are fast-paced and intense, requiring players to juggle leading their Troopers and engaging in direct combat. The game's innovative mechanics include frequent Trooper respawns, wave-based battles, and strategic use of powerful abilities and upgrades. The gameplay focuses on coordination and tactical depth, blending melee and ranged combat with movement options like sliding, dashing, and zip-lining to navigate the map.

The game boasts 20 different heroes, each with unique abilities and playstyles. From classic archetypes to innovative new characters, Deadlock offers a diverse roster that encourages experimentation and teamwork. Despite its early development stage, the game's potential is clear, and Valve's approach to inviting players for feedback and testing adds a strategic layer to its release.

Valve’s Controversial Approach to Store Standards

In a surprising move, Valve is not adhering to its own Steam Store guidelines for Deadlock. According to Valve's standards, a game page must feature at least five screenshots. However, Deadlock's store page currently only includes a single teaser video, showcasing a brief, atmospheric shot of an alley and passing figures with weapons.

This deviation has sparked criticism, with some arguing that Valve, as a Steamworks Partner, should follow the same rules as other developers. A similar issue arose during a March 2024 sale of The Orange Box, where Valve added promotional stickers to its store page, later addressing the concern. Valve’s departure from its own rules has been highlighted by 3DGlyptics, the publisher and developer of B.C. Piezophile, who claims that Valve undermines the consistency and fairness of Steam’s platform policies.

Despite the controversy, Valve's unique position as both a game developer and platform owner means that traditional enforcement mechanisms may not apply. As Deadlock progresses through its development and testing phases, it remains to be seen how Valve will address these concerns, if at all.