New images of Valve’s competitive shooter, Deadlock, have emerged online. They’ve reportedly leaked from the ongoing closed alpha phase of the game, showcasing in-game screenshots that reveal, amongst other things, the UI and the basic gameplay mechanics of the developing title. It looks as though Deadlock is being designed from the ground up as an esports-focused title, and what better company to do that than Valve?
Once upon a time, Deadlock was known as Neon Prime and Citadel, but it has been reinvented a few times as it has been developed. It’s Valve’s shot at a hero-focused shooter, like Overwatch or VALORANT, and it’ll reportedly feature six-vs-six modes on medium- to large-sized maps. Like other titles in the space, it’ll include the use of abilities and items, some of which will have prerequisites for their deployment.
It reads like a typical hero shooter on paper, but it could be a strong contender for the next best esports game.
The Basics of Deadlock
Deadlock features a mix of elements inspired by the likes of Team Fortress 2, BioShock, and Overwatch. Similarities are being drawn between the hero characters featured in the leaked Deadlock images and characters already present in Dota 2, another Valve game and one of the top esports games in the business. That’s probably because, back in the day, it was suggested that this game is based on Dota lore. It boasts a fantasy setting with streaks of the ‘steampunk’ aesthetic, which is where the connection to BioShock emerges.
In the recently leaked images, prospective fans got a quick look at one of the game’s characters – Grey Talon. This character utilises traps and long-range weaponry to tackle enemies and make their lives a misery across the moderately sized maps that appear to exist. Originally, the alpha for Deadlock was restricted to friends, family, and employees of Valve, but that pool is allegedly being opened up – slowly.
Deadlock looks promising at first blush. It’s coming from the most creative minds at Valve, a company with a stellar track record in the esports industry, and it’s ticking the typical boxes that people look for in an esports game. Time will tell how the final product shapes up, but on the drawing board, Deadlock could certainly be one of the best esports games on the market in the future.
If you want to read a little more about Valve, check out our recent story about how the company is trying to ‘save’ Dota 2.
For more esports news, Esports.net
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