Intro

Valve’s games are few and far between even if they don’t seem like massive productions at a first glance. However, each of them has managed to bring something unforgettable so far, even Artifact, as it’s an unforgettable failure among its peers.

Now it’s time for a third person MOBA named Deadlock.

Deadlock playtest

Due to some leaks, Deadlock became playable early through possibly illegal means but even though the game hasn’t been released yet, it appears many are already playing it, legally.

Valve appears to be running a closed playtest which has attracted many players as the game was caught with almost 17,000 concurrent players in it.

While this is fantastic for initial impressions, it remains to be seen whether a sustainable community will gather around it to make it viable long-term.

About Deadlock

As mention previously, Deadlock is a third-person MOBA with a super-powered noir setting. Many MOBAs attempted this approach before, with only SMITE finding a limited success but then again, that game didn’t stand much of a chance due to the developer’s MO.

Another notable entry in the genre is Paragon, Epic’s attempt at a third-person MOBA that went open source after Fortnite’s success, resulting in countless duplicates that called themselves Paragon revivals.

Deadlock will attempt to find its own prosperity in a niche with dubious potential. On top of that, hero shooter fatigue is setting in these days and Valve may encounter additional issues due to the genre overlap.