Valve Delays Deadlock Updates for Stability

Deadlock's Development Shifts in 2025: Fewer, Larger Updates

Valve has announced a change of pace for Deadlock updates in 2025, prioritizing larger, less frequent patches over the consistent bi-weekly updates of 2024. This decision, communicated via the official Deadlock Discord, stems from challenges in maintaining the previous update cadence. While this may disappoint some players expecting constant content, it promises more substantial updates with a greater impact.

Deadlock, Valve's free-to-play MOBA hero shooter, launched on Steam earlier in 2024 after initial gameplay leaks. It quickly established itself in the competitive hero-shooter market, even alongside the popular Marvel Rivals, thanks to its distinctive steampunk aesthetic and polished gameplay. The game has undergone significant changes throughout 2024, but Valve aims to refine its development process with this adjusted update schedule.

According to PCGamesN, Valve developer Yoshi explained the shift: The previous two-week update cycle hindered internal iteration and prevented sufficient time for changes to settle before the next update. The new approach will feature larger, event-like patches, spaced further apart, with hotfixes deployed as needed.

The recent winter update, deviating from the usual balance patch pattern, offered a glimpse into this new direction, suggesting future limited-time events and special game modes. Yoshi confirmed that major patches will no longer adhere to a fixed schedule.

Currently boasting 22 playable characters and an additional 8 in Hero Labs mode, Deadlock has already garnered significant attention for its character diversity, creative design, and unique anti-cheat measures. While an official release date remains unannounced, further news and updates are anticipated in 2025.

Key Takeaways:

• Reduced Update Frequency: Deadlock updates will be less frequent in 2025.
• Larger Patch Sizes: Updates will be more substantial and event-driven.
• Continued Hotfixes: Smaller fixes will still be released as necessary.
• No Official Release Date: A release date for Deadlock has yet to be confirmed.