Summary
An unannounced new game fromValvealready has more than 10,000 players before the game’s launch has even been confirmed by the Steam developer. While more widely known throughout the industry as the creator of one of gaming’s most prolific online marketplaces, Valve has a rich history as the studio behind several beloved franchises.Half-Life,Portal, andLeft 4 Deadhave stoodas some of the developer’s biggest hits, while others likeTeam Fortress 2have persisted as cult classics. Now, the newest game from the studio is already building excitement.
WhileValvehas yet to officially announce the game’s release,Deadlockis set to be a new shooter coming from theHalf-Lifedeveloper. Early rumors and leaks from the game’s playtesters have suggested that the game will debut as a mix between a hero shooter and the MOBA genre. Valve has yet to confirm the game’s release, nor has the studio officially revealed the beginning of the game’s public testing period. However, recent player charts from Steam suggest the game may have quietly begun its first phase of testing.
Valve’s Unannounced “Deadlock” Already Has 10,000 Players
As reported by PCGamesN, a new update to Steam aggregator website SteamDB is showing the player counts forDeadlocksteadily rising. Throughout the past week,Deadlockhas registered a maximum player count above 10,000 users, peaking at 12,008 players on August 10. The game has also posted consistent player counts sitting above 2,000 throughout the past several days.Valve has not yet officially announcedDeadlockto the public, and the developer has not confirmed any official beta testing to come for the game.
The rising numbers on Steam forDeadlocksuggest that Valve may be ramping up its testing for the game alongside several other recent updates.Valve officially applied for the trademark forDeadlockearlier this year, though it was not confirmed to be filed at the time. Leaks have suggested that the game will be a new original IP from Valve, with up to 19 playable characters teased through early gameplay footage. The game’s theming was also noteworthy, with Valve reportedly trying out a futuristic and “steampunk” aesthetic for the unannounced shooter.
While Valve’s most notable venture has been the development of Steam, the studio has kept busy throughout recent years. Valve welcomed the highly-anticipated release ofCounter-Strike 2last year, serving as a new replacement for the long-runningCounter-Strike: Global Offensive. The studio also continues to work on themassively popular MOBADota 2, with the game’s annual “The International” world championship scheduled for next month.Deadlock’s potential reveal in the near future should look to be an exciting event for fans of the studio.
