Valve Planning to Slow Down Deadlock Updates

Deadlock Update Schedule Shifting in 2025

Valve has announced a change in its update strategy for Deadlock in 2025, moving towards larger, less frequent patches. This shift follows a year of consistent updates in 2024. The decision stems from challenges in maintaining the previous two-week update cycle, hindering internal iteration and external adjustment time between updates.

While this news may disappoint some players anticipating continuous updates, Valve assures that future updates will be more substantial and event-driven, rather than smaller, incremental changes. The recent winter update, featuring unique gameplay alterations, serves as a preview of this approach.

Deadlock, Valve's free-to-play MOBA, gained popularity quickly after its early 2024 Steam release, despite initial leaks. It has established itself in the competitive hero-shooter market, even vying with the popular Marvel Rivals. Deadlock's distinct steampunk aesthetic and polished gameplay have contributed to its success.

According to PCGamesN, Valve developer Yoshi explained the change on the official Deadlock Discord. The new schedule will feature major patches released on a less frequent, non-fixed schedule. These will be larger in scope than previous updates. Hotfixes will still be deployed as needed.

The winter update showcased a shift towards limited-time events and unique gameplay adjustments, suggesting a similar live-service model for future content. Deadlock currently boasts 22 playable characters across various roles, with an additional eight available in Hero Labs mode. Its innovative anti-cheat measures and diverse character roster have also contributed to its positive reception.

While an official release date remains unconfirmed, Valve promises further Deadlock news in 2025. The focus on larger, less frequent updates suggests a commitment to substantial content releases and a more refined development process.