The video game industry is evolving every day. Once upon a time, arcade machines with primitive games were the pinnacle of gaming, but now projects boast realistic graphics and immense detail. And we haven’t even mentioned the gameplay.
After all, not all games need high-quality graphics to earn the community’s respect. We are talking about esports titles, where the core remains the competitive factor of people playing against each other. Among such games are the recognized “kings” of their time and the public: Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, League of Legends, Call of Duty, and others. Additionally, there are studios that have earned fame as experts in esports games. One such studio is the legendary Valve, which once created Half-Life, Counter-Strike, and Dota 2.
Now, Valve is preparing to surprise competitive game fans once again. The American company is already developing its new game, and the first images of Valve’s early work have already surfaced online. In this article, we will talk about Valve’s new project, its gameplay, prospects, and whether it is needed at all.
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Valve’s New Game – Deadlock
Back in 2021-2022, rumors were circulating that Valve was working on a new game. It was said that after the release of Half-Life: Alyx (a VR game in the Half-Life universe), the legendary studio had regained its taste for games and was now working on something new. Information began to surface about a project codenamed Citadel.
Insiders described Citadel as a mix of various Valve projects. Some said it was supposed to be a PvPvE game in the Half-Life universe with elements of Dota 2, while others claimed it would be a “revival” of Team Fortress in a different guise. Only elements of online casino sites were missing to create a full-fledged jackpot. In the end, none of them were entirely right, but none of them were entirely wrong either. Valve indeed planned (and was making) a new game, and it would indeed be something at the intersection of all Valve projects.
As of May 2024, Valve’s new game had the codename Deadlock. Additionally, screenshots, presumably of an early build of this game, had surfaced online.
Seeing the screenshots, we can speculate about what this game is about, how it plays, and what Valve aims to achieve with the release of Deadlock.
Genre of Deadlock, Valve’s New Game
Above, we mentioned that Deadlock is a hybrid of all Valve projects ever released. Therefore, the genre of the new game from the creators of Counter-Strike and Dota 2 is quite specific.
As noted online, Deadlock is a 6v6 class-based third-person action game, which was previously named Neon Prime and Citadel. This is a brief description of Valve’s new creation.
Overall, the choice of genre is quite unusual. It would have been understandable if it were 2015, but a class-based 6v6 shooter in 2024 sounds at least strange, considering we already have examples like Overwatch, which was once the standard for class-based shooters. Nonetheless, Valve is making something different from both Overwatch and their Team Fortress. The 6v6 shooter scheme has been complemented by a third-person perspective.
It all sounds quite interesting, but how it will play, and whether it will play at all, is a completely different question. And we will try to find the answer to that question.
Deadlock Gameplay and Rules
So, we’ve understood that Deadlock is a 6v6 team shooter, but with a twist—or several. Let’s delve into these twists.
From the screenshots available to the public, it’s clear that the game, in addition to the usual classes for such a genre, features a rich map. One of the images distinctly shows the battlefield divided into three lanes, which essentially references Dota 2. Let’s move on.
In another image, we see the first screenshot of a playable character named Grey Talon. This directly draws a parallel to Team Fortress 2, though it’s even closer to its ideological successor, Overwatch. Moreover, there is a known class system in Deadlock.
Overall, in the development stage, Deadlock already has at least three classes of characters: Troopers, Guardians, and Walkers. It’s premature to make conclusions about the approximate abilities of characters from different classes based only on the blurred names of some, but judging by the names, it seems to be something akin to classic DDs, tanks, and support characters.
Unfortunately, there is no more detailed information about Deadlock’s gameplay, and we have to wait for official information from Valve. When they plan to announce something remains a mystery, especially given the company’s limited media activity and occasional “laziness.”
Deadlock’s Potential as a New Esports Shooter
Deadlock is probably an ambitious project that has been in the making for several years. And this is where the main weakness of this project lies. On paper, it looks quite interesting, but in my opinion, the game may not be successful. We’ve already seen what happened to Overwatch, which transformed from a once super-popular game and esports discipline into a regular PvP class shooter.
However, Valve almost certainly knows what they’re doing. They’ve been behind several iconic franchises and have often been trendsetters in the video game industry, and perhaps it will be the same with Deadlock.
