GamesMOBADeadlockValve developer shares video of an even earlier version of Deadlock, in which the player battles Half-Life 2 enemies with Left 4 Dead weaponsWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesMOBADeadlockValve developer shares video of an even earlier version of Deadlock, in which the player battles Half-Life 2 enemies with Left 4 Dead weaponsWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Valve)

Last Friday, Valveformally announced Deadlock, its new multiplayer shooter that blends third-person action with a MOBA structure. Deadlock’s road to its official reveal has been highly unusual, with Valve pretending the game didn’t exist for several months, all while inviting thousands of people to play it.
Indeed, even now Valve has acknowledged the cat’s escape from the bag, the weirdness hasn’t stopped. Deadlock’s Steam page remains intensely cryptic, despite the Internet being flooded with videos of the game in action. Moreover, in a move normally reserved for a decade or two after a game launches, one of Valve’s developers has revealed a super early prototype of Deadlock in action.
Valve dev “Yoshi” shared early footage of gameplay prototype for Deadlock. Placeholder assets from Left 4 Dead, Dota and Half-Life… pic.twitter.com/fmKfl7d1KAValve dev “Yoshi” shared early footage of gameplay prototype for Deadlock. Placeholder assets from Left 4 Dead, Dota and Half-Life… pic.twitter.com/fmKfl7d1KAAugust 26, 2024August 26, 2024
Valve dev “Yoshi” shared early footage of gameplay prototype for Deadlock. Placeholder assets from Left 4 Dead, Dota and Half-Life… pic.twitter.com/fmKfl7d1KAValve dev “Yoshi” shared early footage of gameplay prototype for Deadlock. Placeholder assets from Left 4 Dead, Dota and Half-Life… pic.twitter.com/fmKfl7d1KAAugust 26, 2024August 26, 2024
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen an earlier version of Deadlock. Several months back, footageleaked onlineof Deadlock in its previous incarnation as Neon Prime. In this iteration, Deadlock had a sci-fi setting rather than its current fantasy/supernatural theme, with players running around as robots as a cyberpunk city looms in the background.
Given how early in development Deadlock clearly still is, it’s wild to see how many iterations it’s already been through. It shows just how intensely Valve thinks about its games, and the dispassion with which it will alter or outright ditch an idea it thinks isn’t working.
Deadlock beta: How to get inDeadlock characters: Full heroes and abilities listDeadlock crosshair: How to customize yours
Deadlock beta: How to get inDeadlock characters: Full heroes and abilities listDeadlock crosshair: How to customize yours
Deadlock beta: How to get inDeadlock characters: Full heroes and abilities listDeadlock crosshair: How to customize yours
Deadlock beta: How to get inDeadlock characters: Full heroes and abilities listDeadlock crosshair: How to customize yours

Deadlock beta: How to get inDeadlock characters: Full heroes and abilities listDeadlock crosshair: How to customize yours
Deadlock beta: How to get inDeadlock characters: Full heroes and abilities listDeadlock crosshair: How to customize yours
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