16,000 players are already testing it before release.

Even before Valve has had a chance to officially announce its latest game project, “Deadlock,” a look at SteamDB data shows that the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) is already making waves. During its testing phases, “Deadlock” has racked up an impressive player count of over 10,000 active concurrent users.

The secrecy surrounding the stagnation

Despite the lack of official announcement, Deadlock’s existence was no secret. A full-length trailer for the game surfaced online in May 2024 and is still freely available today. Shortly after, former MOBA Smite pros shared their experiences during a very limited playtest in June.

The number of players is increasing.

Data from SteamDB A significant increase in player numbers is evident. Since August 2, 2024, more and more players have started testing Deadlock, with numbers peaking at 16,000 on August 11. This development marks a departure from the smaller initial playtests, which saw peaks of between 1,000 and 2,000 players.

Access Regulations and Player Comments

The new rules now allow players to add friends if they are already on their Steam friends list. This change has made playtesting easier and more accessible. Compared to other multiplayer games like Concord, which peaked at 2,300 players in its Steam open beta, Deadlock clearly has a stronger appeal.