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Deadlock Player Count Plummets, Valve Adjusts Development Strategy
Deadlock, Valve's MOBA-shooter, has seen a significant drop in player numbers, with peak online counts now below 20,000. In response, Valve has announced a revised development approach.
The previously bi-weekly update schedule is being abandoned in favor of a more flexible system. Major updates will no longer adhere to a fixed timeline, allowing developers more time for thorough implementation and testing, resulting in more substantial updates, according to a developer statement. Regular hotfixes will continue to address critical issues.
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The developers acknowledged the previous two-week cycle, while beneficial, didn't allow sufficient time for changes to fully integrate and function optimally. This shift in strategy follows a dramatic decline in player numbers; Deadlock's peak concurrent players on Steam have plummeted from over 170,000 to a current range of 18,000-20,000.
Despite this decline, Valve assures players the game isn't in jeopardy. Deadlock is still in early development, with no release date set. The slower pace is attributed to a focus on quality and a prioritization of internal projects, potentially including the highly anticipated new Half-Life game.
Valve's approach emphasizes long-term quality over rapid iteration, mirroring the evolution of Dota 2's development cycle. The company believes a high-quality product will naturally attract and retain players, making this strategic adjustment a matter of optimizing the development process. Therefore, there is no immediate cause for alarm.
