Valve Revamps Deadlock Development Amid Online Decline

Deadlock, the MOBA-shooter developed by Valve, has recently seen a significant decline in player numbers, with the peak online count now hovering around 20,000 players. In response, Valve is making strategic adjustments to the game's development process. The company plans to move away from the previous schedule of bi-weekly updates to a more flexible timeline. This shift aims to allow for more thorough development and testing, resulting in more substantial updates for players. Despite this change, Valve will continue to release hotfixes as needed to address any immediate issues.

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Previously, Deadlock received updates every two weeks, a cycle that, while beneficial, didn't allow sufficient time for changes to fully integrate and function as intended. As a result, Valve has decided to adopt a more strategic approach to ensure the game's quality and player satisfaction. This comes at a time when Deadlock's peak online numbers on Steam have dropped from a high of 170,000 players to a current range of 18,000 to 20,000 players by early 2025.

Despite the decline in player numbers, there's no need for alarm. Deadlock is still in its early stages of development and does not yet have a release date. This indicates that the game is unlikely to launch in the near future, especially considering Valve's focus on other projects like the new Half-Life, which has reportedly received internal approval.

Valve's approach emphasizes creating a high-quality product rather than rushing to market. The company believes that satisfied players will naturally contribute to its revenue. This development strategy mirrors the early days of Dota 2, which also saw changes in its update schedule over time. Therefore, the current adjustments to Deadlock's development process are about enhancing the developers' ability to deliver a superior gaming experience, not a sign of the game being in trouble.