Deadlock's player base has significantly shrunk, with peak online numbers now under 20,000. In response, Valve has altered its development strategy.
Major updates will no longer follow a fixed bi-weekly schedule. Instead, Deadlock will receive less frequent, but more substantial updates, allowing for improved development and testing, according to a developer. Regular hotfixes will continue as needed.
Image: discord.gg
The previous two-week update cycle, while helpful, proved insufficient for thorough testing and implementation of changes. This prompted the shift in approach.
Deadlock's peak player count once surpassed 170,000, but has plummeted to 18,000-20,000 by early 2025.
However, this doesn't signal the game's demise. Still in early development with no release date set, a launch in 2025 or beyond is entirely possible, especially given Valve's apparent focus on the internally approved new Half-Life project.
Valve's prioritizing quality over speed, believing a superior product will naturally attract players and revenue. This revised development schedule primarily benefits the developers, mirroring the approach eventually adopted for Dota 2. Therefore, there's no immediate cause for alarm.
