Deadlock Gets Six New Heroes and a Major Overhaul
While Valve's upcoming hero shooter, Deadlock, has seen its player numbers fluctuate since its initial testing period, it's clear the developers are far from abandoning the project. In fact, a substantial update has just rolled out, bringing a host of significant changes, including a major expansion to the hero roster.
Six new heroes are slated to join the fight on the streets of the Cursed Apple, set to be introduced gradually. The new characters include:
- Mina, the Vampire
- Billy, the Demonic Goat
- Paige, who brings books to life
- The Bellhop, always ready to serve
- Victor, the Untamed Monster
- The Wanderer, who terrorizes the city
These characters will be released sequentially, appearing every other day—specifically, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday over the next two weeks. Following their release, the developers plan to quickly implement balance adjustments. Players even get a say in the release order through a voting system located in the new pre-match lobby.
Meet Mina: The First New Hero
Mina, the vampire, is already available in the game. Described as a 'fragile but deadly hero,' she excels at dishing out rapid bursts of spiritual damage from a distance using her passive ability, 'Love Bites.' With each activation of this skill, Mina's vampiric powers grow. When things get tough, she can transform into a swarm of bats to escape danger.
Her ultimate ability, 'Lord of the Night,' allows Mina to unleash a massive swarm of bats that track nearby enemies and silence them, disrupting their abilities.
Introducing The Sanctuary Hub
The most notable addition outside of new heroes is the 'Sanctuary,' which replaces the old main menu interface. This new pre-match lobby is where players will wait for matches, but it's designed to be more than just a waiting room. Players can visit each other's Sanctuaries, creating a more social environment.
Within the Sanctuary, players can access various functions via terminals, including matchmaking, spectating, and training. There's also a dedicated training area where players can test out hero abilities without needing to load into a full sandbox mode. Valve expressed hope that the Sanctuary will become a 'fun hangout spot' and open up possibilities for future personalization, achievements, and events.
Additional Updates and What's Next
The update also brings several other improvements. Deadlock's maps have received a visual refresh, with enhancements and changes to lighting, and more updates are planned. The character selection screen has been significantly redesigned, and visual fixes have been applied to the models of existing heroes.
Deadlock remains an invite-only game via Steam, with no official release date announced yet. However, these substantial updates demonstrate Valve's ongoing commitment to the game's development. For players currently in the alpha test or those hoping to join, this signals that Deadlock is actively being refined and expanded, laying the groundwork for its eventual public launch.
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