Valve's MOBA hero shooter, Deadlock, remains in an exclusive invite-only testing phase, where the company is actively refining and developing the game. However, a recent incident during a livestream accidentally unveiled a second, even more secretive playtest, showcasing new characters and visual updates.
The leak originated from a livestream by a prominent Deadlock player, who inadvertently opened an unintended build of the game. This mishap was quickly reported by Eurogamer, and viewers captured footage of the stream before it was closed down. The footage revealed new characters, including the retro-inspired Doorman, the scholarly Bookworm, and the eerie Vampirebat, along with visual redesigns for existing characters like Ivy.
Despite the swift action to end the stream, the information was already out. No further details have emerged yet, but given Deadlock's history with leaks, this incident isn't entirely surprising. While the concept of a test build for a larger group of players to experiment with new updates isn't new, it's unusual for Deadlock, which is still tightly controlled in its early stages.
The community's response on the r/DeadlockTheGame subreddit has been mixed, with some players feeling left out of the loop despite participating in the broader playtest. Deadlock has undergone numerous changes, including the removal of an entire lane from the game. Valve has previously utilized the Hero Labs mode to test new heroes with players, suggesting this new playtest is an additional method to refine the game with a select group.
Despite its limited accessibility, Deadlock has attracted a significant number of players and garnered attention from fans of both shooters and MOBAs. As a new title from Valve, Deadlock's unique development process and continued exclusivity have only heightened its intrigue. The revelation of another, even more exclusive build adds another layer of mystery for the community to ponder.
However, it's crucial to maintain perspective, as one Reddit user humorously noted: "Oh great, as if one Lash wasn't bad enough, now there are two of him!"
