Valve has shared that they will be slowing down the update schedule for Deadlock in 2025, following a year of consistent updates in 2024. They mentioned that the current match environment is making it tough to keep up the same pace as before. While this news may not please fans who were hoping for regular changes, it does imply that the updates we do receive will be more impactful.
Deadlock, Valve’s not-so-secret free-to-play MOBA, launched on Steam in early 2024 following some gameplay leaks. Since its release, this role-based third-person shooter has made a name for itself in the crowded hero-shooter arena, now competing with the hugely successful Marvel Rivals. The game boasts that distinctive Valve “polish” and features a captivating steampunk-inspired design that helps it stand out. While Deadlock has evolved considerably over the past year, Valve plans to limit how often updates are released.
According to PCGamesN, Valve has revealed that the frequency of updates for its free-to-play game Deadlock will decrease throughout 2025. Developer Yoshi stated, “As we kick off 2025, we’ll be adjusting our update schedule to improve our development workflow.” He noted that while the two-week cycle was useful initially, it has hindered their ability to make certain changes and hasn’t allowed enough time for players to fully engage with the updates before the next one arrives. This announcement was made on the official Deadlock Discord, which might be disappointing for those looking forward to regular content updates. On the bright side, this means that when updates do come, they will be more substantial and feel like major events.
Valve Says It’s Slowing Down Deadlock Updates
Over the holidays, Deadlock rolled out a special winter update, giving fans a delightful break from the many balance changes that occurred throughout the year. If Valve’s new game takes a similar live service route as its peers, players can anticipate the arrival of limited-time events and special modes as Deadlock continues to evolve. Yoshi shared, “Moving forward, we won’t stick to a fixed schedule for major patches. These updates will be bigger than in the past, but they might be released less often, with hotfixes still coming out as needed. We can’t wait to expand the game in the new year.”
Currently, Deadlock boasts a diverse selection of 22 characters, including everything from slow tanks to aggressive flankers. These characters are playable in the main game modes, but for those wanting to try something new, there are eight additional heroes available in the Hero Labs mode. Despite not being officially launched yet, Deadlock has already made waves with its character variety and creative solutions for cheater management. While an official release date is yet to be announced, players can anticipate more information about Deadlock in 2025.