Summary
The first gameplay footage fromDeadlockappears to have surfaced online. The minute-plus video marks the third leak related toValve’s multiplayer shooter in the past week.
Deadlockis said to be a hero shooter that Valve has been working on since at least early 2022, but possibly much longer than that. The game’s purported title was leaked on May 16 as part of a report by content creator Gabe Follower, whoclaimedDeadlockis a 6-vs-6 shooter taking place on “huge” mapswith four lanes. The same source suggested thatDeadlock’s setting combines fantasy with steampunk elements, adding that the game itself will also feature tower defense mechanics.
First Deadlock Gameplay Footage Lends Credence to Previous Leak
On May 22, Twitter account @404Leakshared a purportedDeadlockgameplay clip. The footage appears to substantiate parts of Gabe Follower’s leak, including the claim that the shooter will feature a travel system that allows characters to zip across floating rails. Those tracks were already seen in the first batch ofleakedDeadlockscreenshots, which surfaced online on May 17. The video itself appears to depict one of the shooter’s tutorials, as suggested by the fact that a control scheme titled “Hero Training” occupies a large portion of the screen throughout the clip.
Deadlock Features at Least 19 Playable Heroes
Two more tutorial levels are seen around the 43-second mark, titled “Get Started” and “Lane Training.” According to the game’s own estimates, the three introductory stages take approximately 17 minutes to complete combined. The footage also shows a glimpse of the game’s hero selection screen, which indicates thatDeadlock,previously known asNeon Prime, will feature at least 19 playable characters. 11 of those already had their names and portraits leaked as part of the video.
Leaked Deadlock Heroes List
The newly surfaced clip also reveals thatDeadlockwill allow players to sprint and mantle over ledges, in addition to performing rolls. The speed of zipping across rails will apparently be variable, with the footage indicating that at least one cooldown ability will be able to increase it. The said ability belongs to a brown robot character with a floating head and green bow tie, whose name is currently unknown. Some kind of energy pistol is depicted as the robot’s main weapon in the video.
This influx of leaks reportedly stems from an ongoingDeadlockalpha test, which Valve is said to have started in mid-May 2024. While the very existence of the test may indicate that the game’s official release could be drawing near, that is far from guaranteed, not least becauseValve has never been afraid to shelve projectsfairly late into their development.
