Skip to main content

Deadlock is a new hero shooter developed by Valve, according to leaks

Three heroes lined up in green, red, and blue shades.
Valve Software

Valve might be more known for its Steam Deck handheld and its video game retail platform Steam these days, but according to leaks, the company is working on its next game —  a third-person, hero-based shooter known as Deadlock.

Screenshots of the game and basic details were posted on X (formerly Twitter) by noted Valve game data miner Gabe Follower and on YouTube by Tyler McVicker, who also has a proven track record of leaking Valve info. Both posted about Deadlock first on Thursday, saying it would feature teams of six battling each other on a map with four lanes. It would also feature art that looks inspired by DOTA, the company’s multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) series, with steampunk mixed in for good measure.

“Usable abilities and items. Tower defense mechanics. Fantasy setting mixed with steampunk. Magicians, weird creatures, and robots. Fast travel using floating rails, similar to Bioshock Infinite,” Follower’s post read. On Friday, Follower posted screenshots that he “can verify.” One refers to a character called Grey Talon, a white-haired man with a futuristic bow and arrow. The description says Grey Talon can use traps as well.

In his video, McVicker claimed that Deadlock was in closed alpha, would feature tower defense mechanics, and that an announcement was coming very soon. He also said that a lot of people have already been playtesting the game.

Valve’s latest games include Half-Life: Alyx, a VR prequel to Half-Life 2 that launched in 2020, and Counter-Strike 2, a sequel to its massively popular multiplayer shooter Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, which released last year. Beyond Half-Life: Alyx, Valve’s video game efforts appear to be based around multiplayer offerings as of late, so Deadlock would potentially fit in with that strategy.

Editors' Recommendations

Carli Velocci
Carli is a technology, culture, and games editor and journalist. They were the Gaming Lead and Copy Chief at Windows Central…
Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail takes cues from Mesoamerican culture and Dragonball
FFXIV Dawntrail, Erenville looking out on the front of a sailboat

Starting a new story arc from scratch in a video game that’s been running for over a decade is a tall order -- and it’s one that Final Fantasy XIV’s Dawntrail expansion sets out to accomplish.

Setting sail westward and looking to the continent of Tural, the Warrior of Light and their companions seek to help Wuk Lamat, a female Hrothgar, in a contest for the right to rule the land of Tural. Dawntrail, which is set to launch on July 2 (and June 28 for those who preorder) sets the stage for political intrigue, exploration of a civilization unknown to us, and much more.

Read more
Volgarr the Viking 2 will take you back to your Ghosts ‘n Goblins days
A viking slashes a tree in Volgarr the Viking 2.

Developer Digital Eclipse is working on a surprising project: Volgarr the Viking 2. The 2D retro sequel will launch on August 6 for PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

The news is an out of left field reveal. The first Volgarr the Viking game released in 2013 and was made as an ode to 1080s classics like Ghosts 'n Goblins. Despite being a small release, it sold over 1 million copies over the past decade. As revealed during today's Guerrilla Collective stream, the series is coming back with a new sequel by Digital Eclipse, the team behind this year's Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story.

Read more
3 Days of Play PS Plus games to try this weekend (June 7-9)
Key art for Streets of Rage 4.

June 2024 is shaping up to be a pretty great month for PlayStation players. Not only are we coming off an entertaining State of Play showcase, but a new Days of Play initiative surrounding all the video game showcases this month is bringing a lot of new PS Plus additions with it. Many of those games hit PS Plus this week, and three in particular stand out to us.

For owners of Sony's oft-neglected PlayStation VR2, the first game is one of its rare exclusives that take full advantage of the headset's eye-tracking by seeing how often players blink. The next is a new PS Plus Essential game that's a revival of Sega's classic beat-'em-up series for the modern gaming era. Finally, the last title is an atmospheric and eerie fishing game that should entice fans of Lovecraftian horror.
Before Your Eyes

Read more